Angels for Epilepsy - Children Can Make a Difference

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Epilepsy is a brain disorder in which clusters of nerve cells, or neurons, in the brain sometimes signal abnormally. In epilepsy, the normal pattern of neuronal activity becomes disturbed, causing strange sensations, emotions, and behavior, or sometimes convulsions, muscle spasms, and loss of consciousness. During a seizure, neurons may fire as many as 500 times a second, much faster than normal. In some people, this happens only occasionally; for others, it may happen up to hundreds of times a day.

More than 2 million people in the United States -- about 1 in 100 -- have experienced an unprovoked seizure or been diagnosed with epilepsy. For about 80 percent of those diagnosed with epilepsy, seizures can be controlled with modern medicines and surgical techniques. However, about 25 to 30 percent of people with epilepsy will continue to experience seizures even with the best available treatment. Doctors call this situation intractable epilepsy. Having a seizure does not necessarily mean that a person has epilepsy. Only when a person has had two or more seizures is he or she considered to have epilepsy.

I'm the first to admit, until I met Jamie's mother, I knew virtually nothing about epilepsy, and just how debilitating it can be.  Since meeting her, and learning more about this condition, I have a new appreciation for the courage of Jamie and her family.  Daily they are faced with the fact that her medication must given at precise times, and then there is still the risk that a seizure will occur. Jamie has spent countless days in hospitals being monitored to find an effective treatment for her.  If you've ever been admitted to a hospital, you know first-hand how boring, and sometimes scary, being there is!

However, this hasn't slowed little Jamie down from being a dynamic little girl.  She does all the "normal" childhood things, and  has even (with the help and direction of her mom) formed a non-profit called Angels for Epilepsy.  Jamie gathers "goodies" and delivers them to children in hospitals where she lives, in cute little packages.  Last year Jamie was awarded a grant from Pepsi to help make this endeavor possible.  As a result of that grant Jamie and her Mom and sisters, have delivered over 150 bags to local hospitals in Georgia and Florida.  They even have volunteers in Indiana who hope to soon replicate this mission.

Angels for Epilepsy is once again trying for another grant from Pepsi.  It's not just something you apply for, it's a voting competition.  If she gets enough votes, she'll be the recipient of  $25,000 grant that will go a very long way in helping her to expand her outreach to so many other children.  

This is where you come in!  It takes about 10 seconds to vote for her.  The link to the Pepsi grant voting page allows you to sign in several ways--one of the easiest is via your Facebook information.  Then just click on the vote button and you're finished.  Hopefully you'll take a moment to do so, and help this little girl "pay-it-forward" to many other children who struggle with this disability.

Paying-It-Forward -- Yet another inspirational story of helping.....

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 Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire. 

                                                                 ~William B. Yeats

As a former teacher, and a student many times, I know all too well, how difficult it can be to afford the cost of higher education.  It seems most of the grants and scholarships offered are for very specific groups.  So, if you don't fit into one of those groups, you're pretty much left to your own resources.  Yes, federal loans are available, and quiet honestly, that's how I paid for all three of my degrees, but it is a costly venture, and in some ways puts the student at a disadvantage financially after they graduate.  Now, let me be clear--I am a believer in getting as much education as you can get......and if getting a loan is the only way to achieve that, then you do it......but, if someone had said to me, "there's a scholarship available for ANYONE"--honey, I would have been the first in line to apply for it!

Well, guess what....I found one of those scholarships!  Too late for me, but definitely one others could benefit from.  It was started by two women who wanted to "pay forward" to others, what they had benefited from themselves.  They did their research, and starting in May 2009, the RMHS Alumni Scholarship was born.  Michelle Petrillo, and Kerry Moots, founded this awesome scholarship fund, and have committed to giving 2 scholarships of $1,500.00, each, to students who are struggling with the financial cost of higher education.

Just a month after starting this scholarship fund, they were contacted by the Orlando, FL, family of a former classmate who had passed away.  This family asked if they could offer a scholarship in memory of their family member.  They wanted it to go to students who were majoring in the field of education to honor her memory.  This just proves how far reaching one person's efforts can be.

These ladies exemplify what makes America great.  They've each committed to helping others achieve their goals and dreams by offering these scholarships.  They and all who generously donate to this scholarship fund, are as the quote at the top of this says......"lighting a fire".  I hope you'll take a minute and visit the website for RMHS Alumni Scholarship, and just maybe you'll be a "fire lighter" too, by helping pay success forward for someone.

Paying-It-Forward -- Pamper's Miracle Missions

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Recently I was the recipient of a $50.00 American Express Gift Card via Pampers.  Pampers is celebrating it's 50th annivsary, with a "pay-it-forward" program designed to deliver acts of kindness to little miracles and their families.  Pampers is challenging people like you and I to support others within our own communities.

I was thrilled to get this, and it gave me great pleasure to purchase two large boxes of pampers for someone near and dear to my heart--my oldest daughter.  She has 3 little ones under the age of 3!  And, she's in nursing school full time.  She is juggling family life with the pursuit of her professional goals, and as you can imagine, money is tight.  She was so thrilled to get something as simple as a box of diapers because it meant one less thing she had to buy this week.

In the letter I received with the Gift Card, Pampers made this statement, and I hope you'll participate:

".......remember that everyone can participate in a small way by logging on to Pampers Facebook page (Facebook.com/Pampers) by hitting "like" and then going to the Miracle Missions tab and committing to Mission 1 by clicking "I Want To Pledge."  Once more than 2,500 people pledge, Pampers will respond by giving baby showers to expectant mothers nationwide just in time for Mother's Day.  As a side note, anyone who pledges is automatically entered to win a year's supply worth of Pampers diapers and wipes (and that can definitely help someone in a big way!).

Well, Mother's Day has passed, but we can all still do something to help a mom with her little one(s).  Think about what you can do and pay-it-forward.....if we all do something, the little acts soon become amazing gifts! 

Pampers didn't forget the Dad's!  They now have Mission 2--Making a Father's Day!  Father's everywhere might love some special time with their children which leaves a world of possibilities of things we can do to help them too! I pledged to do something special for the father of my 3 grandchildren--won't you do the same for someone special in your life!?

The only Good ant is a DEAD ant......

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I've lived in my house for over twenty years.  For the last ten or so, every spring I engage in the "battle of the ants".  What I call sugar ants.........they drive me crazy.  They're the little itty bitty things that crawl into spaces no other creature can get into to.  This year they've decided my bathroom counter is the place to set up camp.

What they don't know is I finally found the secret to eliminating them.....at least until next spring.  For years I used sprays, traps, and anything else that claimed to eliminate ants.  The problem with the sugar ants, and probably with any ant, is you have to eliminate the the colony, or they just send new ones to take the place of the ones you've already killed--it can be an endless trail of the creepy crawly little buggers.

So what I finally found that actually works; is environmentally friendly (except to the ants); and is safe to use around pets and children, is a mixture of  honey and borax.  Yep--that simple--and cheap too!  You just place it along or near their trail, and within a few days they're gone--obliterated!  If you're having a problem like me try it--you will truly be amazed.  I've even found their trails outside and put it there and found it works.

What you'll need:  a straw (or several depending on how bad the problem is), a toothpick,  honey, a box of Borax (you can buy it at your local grocery store--big box for about $5.00).  Put a few drops of honey on a plate, then mix in a little borax.  It doesn't take very much borax so don't go crazy.  Ants find borax very toxic.  After you've mixed it together, cut the straw into 1-2 inch segments.  Using your toothpick, drop the honey and borax mixture into both ends of the straw pieces.  You don't have to fill the straw pieces--just put enough in that they can get to it.  Lay the pieces along or near their trail.

What you'll most likely see is a lot more ants in the beginning.  I don't know if they have little tiny cell phones to call each other, but once the word is out they seem to be everywhere around the straws.  You'll see them "feasting" on the honey.  The goal is to get them to take it back to the nest and feed it to their little friends, "ants and uncles", and most of all the queen.  Within a few days you should see no more ants--it absolutely makes my day once I've reached that point!

I put a picture below of day 2 in my bathroom.  Last night there were ants everywhere.....you'll see today, very few......and yes, I'm smiling......it is a thing of beauty to me!

Twins...To dress alike or not?

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If you've read any of my posts by now, you know I'm a grandmother of twin girls.  Lilly and Leila are faternal twins, which means they look different.  Since they've been born, there have been lots of days they were dressed just alike, but probably just as many when they were dressed differently.  

I'm sure every parent grapples with the question about whether or not to dress their twins (or multiples) alike.  Certainly when they're babies and toddlers they look adorable when dressed alike, but what happens as they grow older.  Even if twins are identical, they most certainly have their own individual personality.  So what happens as they get older?  Do we insist they dress alike?  And what if they are a boy and girl?  Research varies on the subject, but most conclude that as children get older, it's best to not dress them exactly alike.  And, if you're a parent, you know, kids are going to let you know exactly how they feel about their clothes.

Suggestions for other options:

~Dress them in color coordinated outfits.

~Use matching outfits for special occasions (like family  group photos).

~When you want to  make sure others can tell them apart, dress them differently.

At Adorable Baby Clothing, we try to offer clothes that are classic in look, and are made up of fabrics and workmanship that will last a long time.  Whether you choose to dress your multiples alike, or differently, you may just find the perfect outfit for them on the website.  

"Pretty Lips" for $5.99

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One of the great joys of being a grandmother, is finding the greatest happiness in the silliest of things your grandchildren do.  I am blessed with three grandchildren.  The first two are twins, Lilly and Leila, who are fast approaching the age of 3. Calvin is the newest addition to the family, and I really look forward to doing "boy" stuff with him when he's finally old enough for the two of us to get into trouble together.

In the meantime, I have the best time with Lilly and Leila.  It amazes me how quickly they have learned what's "girly".  The term 'pretty lips' is what they call lipstick.  They've watched their mom and I apply it and several months ago decided they needed it too.  Of course lipstick to a 2-1/2 year old can be literally anything.......so we've discovered them with lips covered in mascara, markers.....and one of their favorites is the clear crayons that only show up on the Crayola paper.....I can't convince them it's invisible on their little mouths.

So this morning, I picked up Lilly and Leila, and we drove straight to Walgreens to buy them their very own "pretty lips".  They were in awe of the makeup section......and I could see they were dying to grab everything within their reach--which was considerable.  However, they've been raised "right" and didn't, but made a point to show me everything they wanted.  We finally decided on some lip gloss in a pale pink (that was my influence--I figured pale pink won't show up on my furniture as much).

The gentleman at the checkout counter seemed a bit perplexed when they demanded their "pretty lips" back from him--I had to laugh, because I knew they thought, he was going to keep it.....

The best part other than watching their little faces in the store, was standing in the parking lot and unwrapping their new treasures so they could apply it right away.  Joy.......so simple and sweet.......makes my heart just want to explode sometimes.  You would have thought I'd just given them a million dollars......and it was as simple as "pretty lips".......

Ficklets - The Newest Cool Thing for Eyewear!

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I am constantly amazed at the insightful ingenuity of Americans.  Ros Guerrero is a mother who understands fully how uncomfortable it can be for a child who is somehow different.  Her daughter wears glasses, and if you did as a child, you probably remember how much you wished you didn't need them.  However, Ros, being sensitive to her daughter, was able to see beyond them, and thus, was born the company Ficklets.

Simply put they are "bling" for your child's eyeglasses!  Ros would describe them more modestly as eyewear charm huggers, but let's call it what it is--bling!  And, who doesn't love bling!  If you have a child who's wearing glasses, take a moment and check out all the styles, colors, and shapes Fickets comes in.  There's bound to be something your little one will love.  Ros has covered all the bases when it comes to style and variety.

Ficklets takes your child's glasses from ordinary to extraordinary (-Adjective 1. beyond what is usual, ordinary, regular, or established) !

Now they can be the trend setter among their peers.  The great thing about Ficklets, too,  is you can change them daily.   No longer are glasses that accessory everyone wants to forget....kids will have fun surprising their friends with something different every day.  

Be sure to check out the Ficklets website, and see for yourself what everyone's talking about!  Kudos to Ros--super mom and super business woman!