New!!

Hi all,
I've started a new blog. Please check it out at ilovepate.blogspot.com

I hope you are all doing well.

NEW BLOG

Please visit me at

ilovepate.blogspot.com

Share your stories with me:)

NEW BLOG

Please come visit me at:

ilovepate.blogspot.com

Share your stories with me.

Cake, Cake and More Cake

I finished my Wilton Class I class last Saturday. The picture is of my FINAL cake for class one. It incorporated the "Wilton Rose" and sugar flowers (around the border). The second cake, "Clown Cake" used technique necessary for making figures stand up. The last picture is of my very first cake. You can obviously see how much I learned in the three classes.

This class was so fun and I encourage everyone to take it. I ended up taking mine at the local Hobby Lobby. I can't wait for class two. Class Two focuses on the use of royal icing (which makes very pretty flowers). I'll keep you posted! Until then, I'm taking orders:)

My dear Bella

I posted earlier this year that my dog Bella has cancer and Cushing's disease. The vet discovered a mast cell tumor on her knee and it was removed in January. It was supposed to heal quickly (2 weeks). However, it ended up taking over a month to heal and that was with frequent visits to a new vet in Houston and the wonders of an e-collar (and consultations/counseling from my awesome vet in Tulsa). Never fear, I took some time to "dazzle" her colalr up since she was so good about wearing it. I actually highly suggest doing it if you ever have to put your dog into a collar. The original collar was too long, where she wasn't able to reach her food or water. She was also constantly running into everything. The collar was also very sharp around the edges. So, I trimmed it down to her nose and hot glued fabric around the rim:) Bella is now tumor free, but there is a chance she will develop more. She is doing great and I love her dearly. Thanks for all the prayers.

Playing catch-up

I have to admit, I am the worst procrastinator in the world. I have so much to post, but instead of boring you with a post as long as a book, I will try to make several posts today.

Update on my 2009 resolutions:
I have paid off FOUR credit cards.
I am moving out of my parents home in FOUR weeks.
I finished my first Wilton cake class and have signed up for the second one.

I have accomplished a lot and I'm not embarrassed to say that I am proud of what I've done since January 1st.

So, what's new? Well, if you follow my facebook status, you probably know that I had some "work" done on my left big toe. It all started out with an ingrown toe nail. I've had surgery on the right big toe and it was quite painful. I was dreading having my left big toe "operated" on. The night before the big night, my toe started throbbing. It was as if someone had wrapped a rubber band around my big toe. It was so painful that I was in tears all day. Then, I arrived at the doctor's office at 3:30. I did not see the doctor until almost 5:00. Luckily, I had time to text all my anxiety to my friends, who calmly assured me that everything was going to be ok.

The doctor came in and she took one look at my toe and said, "you need to go downstairs for some blood work." What????? Why do I need bloodwork for an ingrown toenail surgery?

Well......

It turns out that I have a severe staph infection that almost went septic. Are you for real?
How did I get this infection? One word: PEDICURE.

You fill in the details. I have vowed to NEVER get another pedicure!!! If you choose to do so, MAKE sure everything is clean!!! Not just surface clean, but sanitized clean!!!!

Sorry that the pictures aren't very clear and they are gross. But, I wanted to warn you of the implications of having pretty toenails. The picture on the right is just of the ingrown toenail itself. No wonder my toe hurt so bad. The picture on the left is of the staph infection. I'll post a pic of my toe after all of the "surgeries" have been performed.

Needless to say, it hasn't been a very fun process. What should have been a very simple one-time procedure turned into weekly visits to remove more and more of my toenail.

My podiatrist told me various stories of how "spas" will use Windex instead of a sanitizer because it is cheaper. She also said that she had to amputate a young woman's toe because she contracted a staph infection that DID go septic.

Yuck!

1st Day Back

Today was the first day back at school. I didn't sleep well last night and was nervous about how today would unfold.

I started a new ritual for my students. I posted a speech class pledge in my room and they say it every time they come in. I found in on the great website, www.speakingofspeech.com. If you click on caseload management, you will find it. It essentially says that doing well is up to each student, not me. We talked about my role in helping them with their speech. We all agreed that I am here to teach and they come to speech to learn. It seemed to work well today. I'll keep you updated.

For my January activity, I cut out paper party hats and let my kids decorate them with markers, glitter, etc... I had them write 3 resolutions, one which had to do with their speech goals. They all did such a nice job. I'm going to keep them posted in the room until the end of the year, that way they can track their progress!

I hope everyone had a great day today, especially those speech paths who started back at school today:)

Request

One more thing....

I'm requesting some serious prayers. You all know that my lab, Bella, was diagnosed with Cushing's Disease in July 2008. During my Tulsa trip this week, Bella and I visited our favorite vets, Dr. Steve and Laura (Catoosa Small Animal Clinic--Best Vets EVER), to get a re-check on Bella's levels (Cushing's disease affects the thyroid and adrenal glands). I also had the vets check on this little lump I found on her knee, earlier this fall. They said it was probably nothing, just a little fat deposit.

Sadly, it is something...It is a malignant tumor. They removed the tumor on Tuesday and now I am just waiting for the results. The tumor tests will show the TMN, otherwise known as the site (of the tumor), nodules, and metastisis (if it has spread somewhere else).

Please keep her in your prayers.

2009

Here is my first post for 2009. Although it is a little bit late, I would like to share my 2009 resolutions with you.

1. Make my debt more manageable.
I hate to admit it, but I have 12 open lines of credit, totaling $21,242.00. Yes, that is credit card debt. It has been accruing since I was 18 and obviously I don't have it under control. I do factor in that I was in school for three years, living on my graduate assistant pay, which was not very much. I also factor in that I have had life changes that were out of my control (and left me with more debt than I originally had). Essentially, I lived on credit cards for a few years (obviously) and that has to change, NOW.

The good news is that I have not used one credit card since August and have been making as large of payments as humanly possible.

2. Do not accrue any more debt.
I also have $67,242.00 in student loans. Sadly, I went to TU on a full scholarship, but once again, used money that was not mine to pay for daily things. I have entered into repayment and the payment is like a mortgage.

Now, when I purchase anything, I pay cash for it. I've also adopted this very annoying procedure of not opening/taking the tags off any of my new things, until I have had it in my home for 2 weeks. If I really need it, I use it. If I don't, I take it back. I suppose it would be easier to just not buy it. But, hey...baby steps.....

3. Make the most out of all situations.
Many of you know that because of reasons #1 and #2 and the "D," I am living with my mom and step-dad in Houston. It is a horrendous blow to the ego, considering I haven't lived with any family member since I was 18. I also work in a job that I do not like (not the profession, just the setting) and I dread going to work every day.

I am going to feel blessed that I: a)have family willing to allow me to live with them, while I get everything sorted out b)feel blessed that I HAVE a job, with a steady paycheck.

4. Make more time for the ones who love me and quit wasting time on the ones who don't.
I've learned quickly who my true friends are since I moved and since the "D." I have also learned that old habits do not die and that people do not change, even if you really, really want them to. If you know me well, you know exactly who I am talking about here.

I am going to invest more time and myself into those who love me and stop worrying about the ones who don't. I deserve more.

5. Take up a hobby and meet new people.
I was reminiscing about my life about 10 years ago and how many extracurricular activities I was involved in. Of course, when you are in high school, you have more opportunity. I also have had a hard time with my transition here in Houston, because I haven't made that many friends. I realized that I haven't really being trying. Besides the dad factor (he still lives in Tulsa), having no friends has been a main reason of why I wanted to move back to Tulsa. My close friend Lisa recently said this to me:

"You need to move back to Tulsa for the right reasons. You need to decide what those reasons are. If your reason is just for comfort, then don't move back. That isn't a good reason. You need to plant yourself in Houston for awhile and try to make a life for yourself. You can't do that if your head is living in Tulsa."

I enrolled in the Wilton Cake Decorating I, II, III and Fondant class at the local community college. I also joined a fitness program, CrossFit Houston. I'm so excited.

6. Move on.
A new year is a time for change AND forgiveness. I am blessed with so many things in my life and I somehow always get jaded. I WILL forgive others (you know who) and move on with my life. There is so much more out there waiting for me.

I also need to move out. I have started making a list of things I will need to move out on my own. I am hoping March.

Lastly,
Thank you to everyone who encouraged me and supported me in 2008. I could not have made it through without you.

I look forward to sharing good and bad news with you over the next year. I also look forward to the age that so many dread.....30.

I hope you all have a great year!

Learning how to breathe

Many of you know how hard and interesting this year has been for me. I have experienced three of life's greatest stressors, all in one year. I still have the days where it is hard for me to get out of bed. I still get the sensation that I can't breathe. But, with each passing day, it gets easier.

Last night, I attended Handel's Messiah at the Houston Symphony, by myself. It was a decision that I made earlier in the week. As I drove towards the symphony, the overwhelming sensation of not being able to breathe came back. I thought to myself, "what am I doing?" and had to call many friends to give me a pep talk.

I reached my destination, got out of my car and walked confidently towards the symphony hall. I picked up my ticket and proceeded to the bar, where I enjoyed a glass of white wine. I looked around and there were so many couples, families, groups, but no one alone. Instead of feeling sadness and anxiety, all of the sudden, the sensation of not being able to breathe went away. I sat between two couples, both of which kept asking me if "someone was going to join me." I confidently said "no."

The performance was wonderful. It had been years since I had been to the symphony. When I say years, I'm pretty sure the last time I heard an orchestra performance was when I was in the orchestra in high school.

The experience was exhilirating and liberating. I've always wanted my life to be perfect. Perfect isn't always extravagant. Last night, I conquered my fears. Last night was my perfect night, and it is all I really ever needed. Most importantly, I learned how to breathe again, by myself.

There's a SLP shortage??? Who knew......

Shortage of Speech Language Pathologists Reported on Local News

A parent in a school district north of Houston videotaped a therapy session with her son, and was unhappy with what she saw. It is later discussed how their is a nation wide shortage of SLPs.

http://www.khou.com/video/index.html?nvid=314761&shu=1

Antlers, Weather, Therapy Ideas and Cake Balls:)

Hello everyone! It has been too long. I need to be better about posting every chance I get, that way I'm not bombarding you with everything that has been going on!

The picture above is of my sweet Bella. She looks frightened, but she actually wagged her tail as I was putting the antlers on. I can't believe that she is 7 years old already. I got her a few months after I graduated from OSU and I hope she is with me forever:)

The weather in H-town has been very odd. It snowed here last week, was 80 degrees two days later and now is back to being cold and drizzly.

Sooooooooooooo, a lot has been going on since my last post. I have been toying with the idea of moving back home to T-town. I still don't know if it will happen, but it is in the works and I'll keep everyone updated.

As for work, it has been pretty good. I finally got my bearings and started feeling like I was competent enough to do the job. It's been difficult because not only am I learning the job, I'm learning the "cy-fair" way of doing things (cy-fair is the district I work for) and those are two completely different things.

This week, I'm working on a fun project for my preschool speech kids. I'm going to read one of my favorite books, "There's a mouse about the house" by Richard Fowler. Then, we are going to make little mice ornaments for them to take home and put on their tree. Of course, I will take pictures tomorrow and post them at some point.

My regular speech kids will be making cake balls and reading "Amelia Bedelia's Merry Christmas," which happens to be another favorite book of mine. Why the cake balls? Well, in the story, Amelia Bedelia is baking a cake. And, I had to some how get making/eating food incorporated into therapy:) The recipe for cake balls is:

1 package boxed cake mix (follow the directions, bake and then cool)
1 tub frosting
Melted almond bark

Take the cooled cake and break up into smaller pieces. Add tub of frosting and mix. Form balls from the mixture and set aside (really, you are supposed to freeze them so they set). Dip into almond bark and sprinkle favorite candies, sprinkles, nuts, etc... over them. Eat!!!!

I used red velvet cake mix, cream cheese frosting and the white almond bark. For garnishes, I had crushed oreos and christmas tree sprinkles.

I hope everyone has a great holiday. I'll write soon....

P.S. If you are a couponer or like to save money, make sure you clipped the Proctor and Gamble deal out of the Sunday paper. If you spend $50 on P&G products, you can get a free book of P&G coupons worth $120! That's a great deal!

Treasure Chest

After weeks of not having a "prize box," I finally caved in. I created this treasure chest and filled it with tons of goodies from the dollar store (pencils, erasers, bubbles...NO candy). Our school district has very strict rules about candy and food. It actually has to be written that the SLP/classroom teacher can used foods of "minimal nutritional value" in their IEP!

My students get to choose an item out of the treasure chest by filling up their sticker chart with 20 stickers. They receive stickers for the following: working hard towards their speech goals (I have my students tell me "what they are working on" before AND after the session), helping/being a good friend (to others in the group), listening and following ALL the speech rules.

Here is how I created my treasure chest:

Hobby Lobby is having a 50% sale on their home decor/crafts this week. I got this chest and gemstones for $14.00 and what a great investment!

Homemade Aquarium

I did this activity with my little ones. It was fun and once again, it uses household items.

This activity is good for following directions (one step and two step), repeating and motor skills. If you wanted to use it for articulation, you could have the child write their speech words on the "water" and practice them. For a language activity, you could ask the child "wh" questions about what you are doing, have them sequence the steps or ask them to describe what they are doing (ex: "How many fish are there?).

I also have sequence cards that go with this activity (i.e., Step One: glue fish on water, Step Two: open bag, Step Three: put water in bag, Step Four, put oatmeal in bag, Step Five: close/seal bag)

What you will need:
zip top bag
oatmeal ("sand")
yellow construction paper (cut into fish shapes)
blue construction paper (cut into a square that will fit inside the zip top bag)

Enjoy!

Interesting Read

If you are at all interested in Autism, or work with those with Autism, please check out this book. It is a great resource and guide to better understanding the complicated world of Autism.

Ten Things Every Child With Autism Wishes You Knew
Ellen Notbohm

Money Saving Tip for SLP's

GARAGE SALES!!!!!!

Look at what I found for.....$1.00 TOTAL! All of these items were in great shape. I can't wait to bring them to school!

Therapy Ideas

I wanted to create an entire blog dedicated to therapy ideas. However, I tried to set it up and Blogger flagged it for spam and then erased it! So, I will just post on my normal blog.

Our school measures progress in six week increments. I can't believe the first six weeks has already gone by. I'm not going to lie...it wasn't easy. The amount of paperwork that is involved in unreal. It was either therapy or the paperwork; it was hard to do both. Also, my school district requires new SLP's to attend meetings like they are going out of style. I got so behind on some of my therapy so I'm having to do double time this six weeks.

Another hard thing for me to get used to is the fact that therapy sessions are 50 minutes. I'm used to doing 30 minutes (really 25). But, 50!!!! That is where I started coming up with these ideas. My groups are large as well and I don't generally get to pair kids up with peers who are working on the same thing. I will have a group of half artic, pragmatics, fluency and then a voice kid. That's where 50 minute therapy sessions get tricky! Plus, we have to log all of our data electronically as soon as it is taken. So, imagine doing therapy with groups ranging in diagnoses, ranging from as little as 2 students to as big as 8, logging data electronically, for 50 minutes!!!!!

Here are a few ideas. Please be patient with my pictures...I'm not so good at this part. If anyone has any tips, please feel free!

1. "Describing Area and Describing Bags"
Our school is an "open concept" school. That means, no doors or walls. So, I've designated an "area" in my space as the "describing area." The kids can sit on their bean bag chairs (which I bought at various garage sales) ! On the wall, I have different things you would talk about/ask, if you were describing something/needing a clue. It is a great way to combine language, articulation, voice, pragmatics, fluency, you name it! I go over each thing I have posted with my kids. Then, I have bags filled with various items (I put 5 items in each bag). The outside of the bag can be decorated with whatever "theme" you may have going on that week. This weeks theme was "supersonic speech." Each kid gets their own bag. They are instructed to look inside, but not to say what is in it. Each kid picks one item out of their bag that they want to "describe." The other kids have to use the questions on the wall to help them "guess" what the mystery item is. It is so much fun and it is such a great way to incorporate all of your goals and even teach them kids something new!

The best part is that you don't even have to spend any money doing this! All of my materials I got from home. I printed off the rocket ships online, cut them out and glued them onto the paper sacks I had lying around the house. All of the items inside the bag were found either in my therapy area or were random things I found. One of my favorite items (kids too) is a doctor's glove that most of us should have in our oral motor areas! They had the most fun describing that one!!!!

I hope you enjoyed this idea. I definitely have many more and will post them soon.

I love to save money...

This woman, the Coupon Contessa, feeds her family of four on a grocery budget of $20/week. Visit her blog at: chron.com/couponcontessa

My friend Sarah, who blogs as One Frugal Chick, also does a lot of couponing and has GREAT ideas. Check her blog out too. The link is on the right hand side of my blog under "Keeping in Touch."

Don't we all love to save money? What's your money saving tip?

New Blogs....

So, I've decided to add 2 new blogs to my list of things to do.

I've been so busy with work, that I've decided to put my thoughts and ideas into a blog to share with others. Anyone can use these ideas, not just SLP's. I have had to get pretty creative with some of my students are these are my ideas. I'll post a link as soon as I get it up and running...

My second blog is a blog for food lovers, like myself. I received this great book of unauthorized restaurant reviews in the Houston area. It's been my favorite book so far. Many of you know my obsession with food and I would love to someday write for a food magazine (in between being an SLP). Once again, I'll let you know as soon as it is up an running...

How are you?

The new move honeymoon period is over:(

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zvhrPMJe8LE