Penelope, Author at Foster2Forever

Our Disney Cruise Pirate Night Costumes

The week before our Disney Cruise last fall, we discovered that Disney Cruise Lines hosts a Pirates in the Caribbean night. Not only does the cruise staff dress in pirate costumes, but everyone does!!! That sent us scrambling at the last minute for pirate costume ideas.

We met Captain Jack Sparrow, the star of Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean!

Pirates in the Caribbean! Party on the deck!

DIY Homemade Pirate Costume for Men

Satin Pirate Costume Shirt – Adult XL
Red Fabric for Sash (2 yards)
Black Pants
Black Shoes
Adult Pirate Boot Covers – Adult Std.Black Curly Hair Wig Costume AccessoryBandana or Pirate Headwrap Bandana Hat Pirate Patch and Earring Captain Hook Hand Costume Accessory Toy Buccaneer Sword

DIY Homemade Pirate Costume for Women

Red & White Striped Pirate Matey Shirt
Red Fabric for Sash (2 yards)
Black Pants
Black Boots
Bandana
Pirate Hat
Pirate Patch and Earring

Also, check out this cute Womens Pirate Costume for $20.

Pirate Costume Ideas for Kids

Disclosure: Links in this post are affiliate links to Amazon, which means if you click on a link & purchase an item, I receive a tiny commission as an Amazon gift card so I can shop on Amazon. See how that works nicely for Amazon?

4:31 pm by Penelope

What’s the Best Wireless Plan for a Young Adult?

Last month, I shared our struggle to stay connected with 21-year-old Bubba when he moved from Texas to Virginia. With his lackadaisical attitude on life, money, {and working}, my adult stepson needs a cheap wireless plan that he can afford with no long-term contract.

Walmart Family Mobile Plan offers affordable unlimited Talk, Tex & Web for only $39.88 a month! No contract is required! A young adult such as Bubba should be able to afford that!

I purchased the T-Mobile Concord smartphone for $79.88 at Walmart Family Mobile in the Electronics department at the store.

The Concord smartphone has a touchscreen and is Wi-Fi capable with real web browsing. It only costs $25 for the activation kit, and you can either activate the phone in the store OR at home through the online account management site.

After getting another $70 cell phone bill for just myself, I put pencil to paper to compare:

	CURRENT PLAN (with Contract)	WALMART FAMILY MOBILE (no Contract)
Talk	$39.99 (450 minutes)	$39.88 *(unlimited)
Text	$5.00 (200 texts)	*Included
Data Plan (Unlimited)	$30.00	*Included
TOTAL	$74.99	$39.88

THAT’S A SAVINGS OF OVER $35 A MONTH!!! And that’s just for ONE cell phone!!! I can nearly pay for TWO cell phone plans through WalMart Family Mobile as I’m currently paying for just ONE! I am looking at changing my own cell plan over this week!!!

The WalMart Family Mobile Plan is the best wireless plan option around, especially for young adults. Check out my photo album on Google+ to see more. Also, see how #FamilyMobileSaves other families. #cbias

Update on Bubba: His life in Virginia came abruptly to an end. After living with friends for three months and not finding a job, he was given two days notice to move out. He has moved back in with us and is not showing much motivation to get a job. {{sigh}} But that’s another blog post for another day….

How much do you pay for your cell phone? Have you priced other cell phone plans lately?

10:27 am by Penelope

When It’s Time to Say Goodbye

As foster parents, our first goal is to always support reunification with birthfamilies. But sometimes, reunification just isn’t safe for a child, especially given situations of abuse and violence.

Foster Ducklings explains the Foster Parent’s Dilemma:

I believe in reunification. I believe in keeping families together. We started fostering because we understand that sometimes life just jumps up and kicks you in the teeth. We feel called to be able to say to bio parents, “Hey, sometimes life is too much. You worry about you and get yourself straightened out. We’ve got the baby. He’s safe and happy and loved.” We love the idea of mentoring these parents to help them learn to be the best possible parents for their child. Because we believe that the vast majority of the time, the best possible parents for a child are the ones who created her.
But… sometimes… reunification isn’t what’s best…

When parental rights are on the brink of being terminated, some birthparents just give up and disappear. {Drug addictions that just can’t be broken} Sadly, the birthparents of our two boys and another foster daughter saw their children just a few times before disappearing out of their lives. However, some birthparents have a chance for a last visit to say goodbye to their children.

Foster mom, Ashley, of Fostering Love at Home, wrote in her post A Time to Say Goodbye to What Used to Be:

Today my kids will be saying goodbye, officially, to their past life. Their former life connections have been terminated. They are no longer tied to where they came from. The legal process of this change occurred earlier this month, and today is when my children will be given a chance to say goodbye.

There are a lot of feelings surrounding this event. The children are anxious and worried and wanting to express anger while also crying because of the grief of the situation. Yet, they are also excited that this means adoption is getting closer. Can you imagine the conflicting feelings? Great sadness, yet great joy. Great anger, yet great happiness.

Jess of Good & Hardy expressed the intense sorry of the Goodbyes when their foster son saw his birthmom for the last time:

I felt awful….that this {birthmother} has to live with the last image of her little boy forever – him running out of a room with her in it, calling someone else mommy. It makes my stomach hurt to think about the kind of pain that must bring.

The Lark’s Nest shares in her post, the day they said goodbye:

today was the kids’ final visit with their birth mother.

it was horribly heartbreaking.

she was devastated but she tried to be strong for the kids.

she was able to have a few minutes alone with each child, individually.

she told them how much she loved them.

she told them it was okay to love their new family.

today we start the healing.

it will be a rough few weeks… months….

who knows how long it takes to be okay after losing someone you love so much.

their hearts will still ache years from now when they think about her.

The foster care system is full of brokenness. Broken homes, broken families, broken lives, broken hearts, and broken spirits.

Our role as foster parents is tough. Gut-wrenchingly tough to console grief-stricken children on situations they might not understand.

Although an emotional nightmare, a goodbye visit with birthfamily, is a means of closure. Our foster daughter intensely struggled with unresolved grief from her abandonment. Her mother chose to relinquish her parental rights just before her daughter’s ninth birthday and did not want to see her daughter again. Although, a goodbye visit would have been tough on both mother and daughter, this poor, little girl needed to see her mom one last time to say goodbye.

Children need to know they are loved and wanted. As difficult as it can be sometimes, we just have to love them through the tough times to help them heal from the brokenness.

10:51 am by Penelope

Easy Gluten-Free Diet Menu Plan

Today Jax of The Roller Coaster Life of a Forever Family is sharing how easy a gluten-free diet can be to help with gluten-sensitive kids’ behavior.

I had heard about gluten free diets for behavior issues but had never put my son, Christopher, on one only because I didn’t think it was something I could manage as a single, working mom. I can honestly say, living a gluten free lifestyle is actually pretty easy. There are tons of easy, quick and healthy options available for even the pickiest of finicky eaters (like my son).

Easy Gluten-Free Rotisserie Chicken Meal Plan

For example, just go to your local grocery store and pick up a pre-cooked rotisserie chicken. My local Stop and Shop has two for one Fridays so make sure to look out for your own local bargains.

A rotisserie chicken could last for several days and be turned into several different meals, based on your family size. A few options appear below:

Day 1: Gluten-Free Baked Chicken with Mixed Vegetables

Simply heat up the rotisserie chicken in the oven, microwave some mixed vegetables with a little butter and you have a quick, tasty, healthy meal.

Day 2: Gluten-Free Chicken Tacos

Corn tortilla shells are gluten free so warm a few up in the oven for 10 minutes at 350 degrees. Then fill the shells with shredded chicken, lettuce and tomato. Feel free to top them with guacamole, sour cream and salsa according to taste. One caveat: make sure to check the ingredients of the salsa because some are thickened using gluten, believe it or not!

Day 3: Gluten-Free Chicken Noodle Soup

My son loves Ancient Harvest Quinoa spaghetti. Please note that quinoa spaghetti does need to be cooked for at least 15 minutes to have the same consistency as regular spaghetti. While heating the spaghetti, on a separate burner you’ll heat up three cups of organic chicken broth. When cooked add the quinoa spaghetti to the broth along with some mixed vegetables from your freezer and the left-over chicken. You can season with salt, pepper and some Italian seasoning then let the pot simmer for five minutes. Soon you will have a tasty, hearty soup.

Gluten-Free Dessert Recipe

Dessert: Popsicles

We make our own popsicles using some rocket-shaped Popsicle molds that are BPA-free. I fill them with organic, all-natural lemonade and freeze them for several hours. They turn out great!

What tips do you have for eating a gluten-free diet?

8:40 am by Penelope

My Child is Out-of-Control! Could It Be His Diet?

Is your child out-of-control? With mood swings, anxiety, or ADD? Has Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD)?

Today Jax of The Roller Coaster Life of a Forever Family is sharing how a gluten-free diet changed the out-of-control behaviors of her son.

How a Gluten-Free Diet Changed My Child’s Behavior

My now-adopted son was in seven foster homes and five daycare settings between the ages of two and three. No one could handle his behavioral problems. He hit. He screamed. He lashed out. He injured himself and had non-stop, almost manic energy. He both scared and frustrated his caregivers and eventually everyone always gave up on him…that is, until I came along. I was home number eight and determined to be his final stop.

I tried to manage my child’s behaviors with love, consistency and patience and that worked, to a degree. He was often well-mannered in preschool but would then act out on the playground. There have been so many occasions where a parent was angry with me when Christopher hit, scratched, pushed or bit their child. The preschool wouldn’t let him play outside with the other kids because he kept hitting the other kids or slamming into them while running. I knew we had a problem but I didn’t know what to do. I kept hoping it would all go away but it never did.

The final straw for me was when his summer nanny called me at work a few weeks ago to tell me that she and Christopher had been escorted out of the Children’s Museum…by security…because Christopher was attacking the other children. When your 38-lb. child is escorted out of a building by a gun-toting security guard, you know you have a serious behavioral problem.

I was now officially at my wit’s end and desperate for help. Neither Christopher’s pediatrician nor his therapist had any real answers for me. What could I do?

My sister suggested I change Christopher’s diet. She told me that gluten (a protein found in wheat) and artificial dyes can cause aggression in some children and why don’t I try a gluten-free diet and see if it helps. I figured hey, it couldn’t hurt and so I removed both gluten and artificial dyes from his diet that very day. And wow, what a difference that decision made in my child!

I noticed a change in Christopher almost immediately. He became much calmer and was easier to manage. He played nicely with other kids and no longer hits or scratches them. It used to break my heart to see kids not wanting to play with my son but now they all want to be around him. I love that for him!

Gluten Intolerance Symptoms

Digestive issues, such as bloating, gas, diarrhea, or constipation
Fatigue, crankiness, feeling tired, or in a “brain fog”
Dizziness or feeling off balance
Migraines or headaches
Mood swings, depression, anxiety, or ADD
Swelling or pain in the joints
Eczema

If your child exhibits some of these gluten intolerance symptoms, you might try a Gluten-Free diet to see if it helps your child.

Come back on Thursday for an Easy Gluten Free Recipes Meal Plan! Read more on gluten-free diet and Sensory Processing Disorder.

Does your child have gluten intolerance symptoms? Have you tried a Gluten-Free Diet?

8:49 am by Penelope

VIDEO: Our Last Minute Vacation & Foster Parenting Update

The majority of this summer, our family was larger by 2 foster children. A little girl that we thought would be a good playmate for our 6-year-old was a parenting challenge. Plus, I had forgotten just how HARD it is to take care of an infant, especially one that is already exhibiting signs of hyperactivity with NO napping. We were ALL stressed out.

When the foster children left at the end of July, we realized that our family had been so busy in this chaos, that we hadn’t planned a summer vacation! After the stress of constant bickering, we ALL needed a nice break!

After discussing our options, we were excited about a getaway to the Dallas Metroplex, and opted to stay in Arlington with all the family activities there.

Check out my video of our day at the Six Flags Hurricane Harbor waterpark! (Listen to the lyrics of the song, Gone, Gone, Gone: “You will never be alone. I’ll love long after you are gone, gone, gone.“

http://youtu.be/2FV-A0zauHk

Thanks for watching!

Did you sneak in a summer vacation with your family? Where did you travel?

5:14 pm by Penelope

Staying Connected with your Kids with a Cheap Wireless Plan

Do you struggle to stay connected with your kids? My adult stepson needs a cheap wireless plan that he can afford, so we can stay connected.

Staying connected with with my 21-year-old stepson, Bubba, has always been a challenge. It just isn’t a priority for him, especially given his Asperger’s. (Can any of you relate?)

A few months ago, Bubba, decided to move halfway across the country to Virginia. (It must have looked closer to Texas on a map.) During this time of being on his own, as he struggled to find a job and learn to live with new people (all on his own), we just couldn’t stay connected as much as we would’ve liked. Then again, he is an adult. He can make his own decisions on optional activities – like eating, sleeping, and showering. {{sigh}}

Our frustration at staying connected with Bubba, especially living so far way, is that he would run out of minutes on his cell phone and not purchase more. Plus, he doesn’t like to talk on the phone anyway — texting and emailing is the type of communication he prefers. (Look up Asperger’s) But, he will communicate with us via Facebook or email; however, his computer is down half the time, overloaded with viruses.

Since Bubba is out on his own, he needs a cheap wireless plan that he can afford, not have to watch minutes, and can connect to the Internet. I’ve been seeing commercials on the Walmart Family Mobile Plan and checked it out.

I discovered that Walmart Family Mobile Plan offers affordable unlimited Talk, Tex & Web for $39.88 a month! No contract is required! Bubba should be able to afford that!

I purchased the T-Mobile Concord smartphone for $79.88 through Walmart Family Mobile.

The Concord smartphone has a touchscreen and is Wi-Fi capable with real web browsing — good for job searching when the computer is down! {{hint, hint, Bubba}}

The activation kit is $25, and you can either activate the phone at home through the online account management site or in the store.

This month, we will be trying out the Concord smartphone powered by T-Mobile. Stay tuned and follow me on Twitter to see if we can stay connected to Bubba better!

Check out my photo album on Google+ to see more. Also, see how #FamilyMobileSaves other families.

Can any of you relate to the frustration of staying connected with your older kids? We can’t be the only ones, right?

Walmart’s Family Mobile Plan was featured in the Back to School issue of LiveSoFab Digital Magazine – Check it out!

6:28 am by Penelope

Part of My Son’s Past is Gone

If you follow me on Instagram, you already know that we had an exciting day last Friday. The day began as any average, quiet morning in our household, with our 6-year-old throwing a fit. I don’t recall what he was upset about — maybe he wanted donuts for breakfast? He had run into his bedroom and was on the floor crying.

As I walked into his room, he raised his red, teary face at me. I smiled and became excited. “Wow! Look at you! Hurry! Go to the bathroom and look in the mirror!” His demeanor changed immediately as he got up and trotted off to the bathroom. He was looking in the mirror, as I exclaimed, “Smile! Look at you! You’re so big!” And then he saw it!
My baby boy lost his first tooth! And he didn’t even know it! We rushed around looking for the lost tooth because — there’s money in that, you know? He quickly found it on the floor where he had been crying just moments before. We didn’t even realize the tooth was loose! Since his other
tooth was loose, Dad pulled it too. When my baby boy came to live with us at 8 months old, those bottom two teeth were the only teeth he had. For me it’s a particularly bittersweet moment for the loss of those two teeth are also a loss of my baby boy that isn’t a baby anymore. This baby boy changed our lives immediately. One phone call on March 4, 2008 changed the lives of so many.
Those two teeth were the link to his past life. There is nothing now left from his former life (except Blankie). Today, I think of his birthmom and her incredible loss of such an amazing son. Has she finally overcome her addiction? I pray for her and birthmothers everywhere.

Our boy placed his teeth under his pillow for the Tooth Fairy with a tooth holder like this one on Amazon:

It had belonged to his 21-year-old Bubba.

$5 for 2 teeth. It appears the Tooth Fairy didn’t have change.

Do you follow our adventures on Instagram? All the cool kids are!

7:31 am by Penelope

Have You Tried Gluten-Free With Your Kids?

Do you have a child that’s difficult to parent? Are your children cranky, aggressive, or hyperactive? Has your child been diagnosed with Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD)? {Read The Out-of-Sync Child for more on SPD}

Have you tried a gluten-free diet for your child with Sensory Processing Disorder?

I haven’t yet, but here’s what I’ve been reading about a gluten-free diet for SPD…

Beth Allen says this in her post, Jumping on the Gluten-Free Bandwagon for Our Son with Sensory Processing Disorder:

My second son Asher, 18 months at the time, was diagnosed with Sensory Processing Disorder. SPD is a neurological condition in which the person has difficulties organizing the sensations coming from the body and the environment. One of the first things I read about SPD recommended removing both Gluten (protein found in wheat) and Casein (protein found in dairy) from his diet. I decided I’d give it 3 weeks, and then go back to life as usual, because it surely wasn’t going to change anything.

Well I’m here to shout from the rooftops, because it’s turned out to be life-changing for us!….

I was about to dive in to Occupational Therapy after Asher was assessed, but I decided to try this GFCF (Gluten-Free/ Casein-Free) diet for 3 weeks “just to rule it out.” Ha!

The GFCF lifestyle has been a Godsend! And still to this day, 5 months in to this journey, I am blown away by what we’ve witnessed. Our estimation is that 75% of Asher’s symptoms were COMPLETELY GONE within 1-2 weeks of going GFCF.

Jenny has a son with autism and SPD and says this on the SPD Blogger Network about a gluten-free, dairy-free diet:

Back in October, you may remember that my son started the GFCF diet (gluten free and casein aka dairy free). Within weeks, his eye contact and engagement improved, his verbal ability approved, and he began to sleep through the night for the first time ever. That was life changing for this exhausted mommy, and I was ecstatic that Bud seemed happier himself.

To be honest, I haven’t tried a gluten-free diet with my son because, frankly, I thought it would be just too hard. But check out this group of ebooks!

Check out these five ebooks on grain- and gluten-free cooking! In these books are numerous tips for a gluten-free kitchen as well as almost 200 recipes for every meal of the day. This book bundle is useful whether you’re just getting started or you’ve been gluten-free for years.

Grain-Free Meal Plans: Summer {2 Weeks} by Cara Faus
Cara’s known for her grain-free meal plans, and this collection includes recipes for 3 meals a day, 7 days a week for two full weeks plus grocery lists, prep instructions, indexes, and more to take the headache out of meal planning for your family. {$~~16.00~~}

Awaken: 30+ Egg Free and Grain Free Breakfasts by Karen Sorenson
In Awaken: 30+ Egg Free and Grain Free Breakfasts, Karen offers 30 delicious breakfast recipes that are egg- and grain-free with step-by-step instructions and photos as well as tips for stocking a gluten-free pantry, egg and sweetener substitution charts, and nutritional information estimates.

Baking with Coconut Flour by Starlene Stewart
Baking with Coconut Flour is not a recipe book but an instructional guide that will answer your questions about baking with coconut flour. Starlene shows you how to successfully reproduce other people’s recipes, how to work with coconut flour, how to adapt your favorite family recipes, how to troubleshoot your flops, where to find coconut flour and more. She even includes a handy worksheet to help you convert recipes!

Check out Beyond Grain and Dairy Cookbook
And the recipes in Gluten-Free Snack Cookbook look so yummy!

I have already ordered and can’t wait to read the Grain-Free Meal Plans book (with grocery list)!!! I’ll let you know how it goes.