WordPress.com and Wix.com do not communicate with one another apparently and would not allow me, to re route the DNS name and server from here, WordPress.com to Wix.com. Sorry if you stumble upon my personal blog LOL

http://www.ladiesoflibertease.com

On this day 5 years ago, around 11: 00 am , I have birth to a baby boy.
Though we was not prepared for the horrific events what would take place as soon as I got back into my room , from recovery.
This baby boy was rushed into the NICU , he was not breathing. He was blue, and was not responding. We was told he had a 50/50 of pulling through. He looked like a pin cushion, there was wires, IVS, and computer devices all around him. We discovered he had lung issues, they was supposedly not developed all the way, at 38 weeks.
They also told me, with lack of oxygen to his brain, he may be a ” vegetable ” or have a learning disability. Only time would tell. He was to stay in the NICU while I had to leave the Hospital without a baby. The first week was rough, I cried endlessly.
I just wanted my baby HEALTHY and HOME with his parents. But he wasn’t. The NICU was kind enough to call every two hours around the clock to let me know his progress. He finally got to come home, doctors apts every time we turn around.
He had to have eye surgery at 10 months old. He also had to go through pain testing for allergies, bone testing, heart testing. Still to this day, we have to go to routine testing echo cardiograms, asthma , and so much more. Now we are being told he may be ADHD. That’s why I have him tattooed on me, he is ” MOMMY’S LITTLE FIGHTER ” at five years, he has over came so much. I am so lucky to have him and to call him , my son.

I was inspired to do the same. I began looking into ways that I could lend a helping hand from one Military family to another.

To date, the volunteers have sent hundreds of thousands of care packages and letters to “adopted” deployed service members; they have supplied the wounded with over 25,000 of their First Response Backpacks directly at the Combat Support Hospitals in Iraq and Afghanistan and the major military hospital in Germany, as well as provided care and comfort to those in stateside military and VA facilities.
They are launching a new program called “Blankets of Belief” the goal is to wrap all of our deployed service members in blankets representative of our support and faith in them, Blankets of Belief.

The Blankets will be a physical reminder that they are not alone. When deployed service members receive a Blanket of Belief, they will know that somebody back home remembered them, that somebody labored over a handmade blanket with thoughts of them and hopes or prayers for their strength and comfort. I have began no sewing tonight and after several hours of knotting and cutting, this is my first one.
What do you think?

To find out more about Soldiers’ Angels please visit;

http://www.soldiersangels.org/

I’m realizing that this is a lot of why I started blogging. I needed some feedback. If I didn’t share my projects, my bad days, my motherhood stories, recipes, and general ramblings with the world, then would they even be valid?

But blogging hasn’t been giving me the self esteem boost I need. I haven’t met my own expectations here and (in my head) this must mean I am not enough. I alternate between wanting to give up and wanting to charge full steam ahead, determined to figure this whole blogging thing out.

I recently read and joined in a conversation through Facebook. We were discussing parenting topics and a working mom was talking about the guilt she has over missing events at her daughter’s preschool. I hurt for her and another mom told her, “I know you hate to miss it, but you are still a good mom.” The ladies went back and forth for a minute and the retort every time was, “But you are a good mom. Your daughter knows that and that’s all that matters.”

I wanted to cry just sitting there, because no matter what your struggle, when your heart is in the right place you are good. You are enough.

So I’m going to keep moving forward.

I am a good mom, even when I don’t feel like it. Their smiles and their cries for me tell me that.

I am a good blogger. Because as much as I would like to make a checklist for what makes a good blogger there are no rules here. I’m real. I write what I feel. I show up and I try.

And as I’ve been blessed to get to know these two ladies, maybe sharing my story here will help someone else feel like they aren’t alone in their feelings.

It’s been a few months since I updated you all about my weight loss efforts. To date, I have lost over 27 pounds!
Man, did it feel good! I felt a sense of accomplishment that is hard to describe.
A lot of friends and family has asked me how and honestly, it’s all about cardio and eating healthy.
You have to make a conscious effort to get out and run, not jog. If you don’t put in the time and effort, you will not see any results. Don’t complain or get discouraged if your not seeing results fast enough. It does take time, if you put in the ( right ) effort.
Cut the ” junk food ” and most importantly, drink water. Lots of it. I have had THREE children, all C -Sections. I will now begin to tone up my baby pooch you receive after a C -Section, wish me luck

* the picture I posted was taken two weeks ago, my best friend Britney and I went and had matching tattoos done *

Candy corn is one of those Halloween treats that you either love or hate. We here, at the Cruikshank Household, absolutely love candy corn!
As I mentioned in my last blog, Halloween is right around the corner. This usually makes about a bag or so ( depending how you cut and roll) it’s a fun and delicious way to kick off the season!

Homemade Candy Corn
yields aprox. 300 3/4-inch pieces

1 cup white sugar
2/3 cup corn syrup
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup powdered milk
1/4 teaspoon of salt
10-40 drops red and yellow food coloring

Heat white sugar, corn syrup and butter in a sauce pan over low heat. Stir until all ingredients are dissolved. Turn heat to high until mixture comes to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to medium and let bubble (uncovered) for 5 minutes. Stir in vanilla extract and remove from heat. Allow to cool until warm to the touch. 15 minutes should do the trick.

In a large bowl sift powdered sugar, powdered milk and salt. Add cooled mixture from sauce pan and stir until you can no longer do so. It will be cool enough to work with your hands at this point (which we highly suggest, a spoon will get you nowhere) , work dough until all traces of powdered sugar have been absorbed. If there is some left in the bowl, it’s not the end of the world.

Divide dough into 3 sections, make a dent in 2 pieces and add 20 drops of yellow food coloring to each. In one of those, add 9 drops of red food coloring to create orange. Mix each until colors are even throughout. You can wear gloves, but honestly, I didn’t need them, just wash your hands well when finished with the entire activity.

To make candy corns, eyeball 1/8th of the dough from each piece. Roll each color into long “snakes” and press together. Cut with a bench scraper or knife and allow to cool and air dry. Trust us when we say you want to start small or else your kitchen will look like the snake pit from Raiders of the Lost Ark. As you’re rolling out your dough, if it gets too long, no worries, just chop it off and throw it back in the pile and continue rolling remaining dough.

Once dry, keep your pieces in an airtight container.

My middle child, D.J., has been after a skate board since he learned how to walk. I have been putting off buying him one for quite some time now. He has my fearless streak which terrifies  the piss out of me. I was the one who used to do anything on a dare. For instance jumping off my mother’s roof with a skate board which left me seriously injured.

Ah, the teen age years!

I am  also worried of D.J. ‘s health situation because not only does he suffer from allergies and asthma he also has a severe concave chest. Most sports is out of the question. What if he falls wrong during an Ollie or Flip and lands on his chest? I was never a worrier until I became a mother..

While on Facebook yesterday, an interesting man I recently befriended ( mutual friend of my cousin C.J.) had struck up a conversation with myself that led up to skateboarding. Coming to find out, the gentlemen is a sponsored skateboarder who offers lessons to children in the summer.

Anyway..

While discussing this with my son last night during his bath time, he whispered ” mommy, your the coolest mommy ever and I love you ” – then to proceed to splash me.

I may not be the coolest mommy in world however, having my son tell me so sure made my evening