Us. Happy.

Lyndsay Stradtner2012-01-02T18:25:22-06:00January 2nd, 2012|My Family|

Jase and I got to sneak away on a date night while my mom was in town over the holidays. I love this snapshot she took of us on our way out the door. For us, these days, a hot date includes dinner at Beets and a movie at The Domain with fancy recliners. It was perfect and just what we needed, a night to ourselves. With our improved health, we’ve found a deeper level of happy. I never, ever, imagined that solid nutrition would change the way we live, communicate, relate, give and love. I can honestly say, we’ve never been happier than we are right now. More patience, […]

My Million Dollar Idea

Lyndsay Stradtner2012-01-02T06:36:10-06:00January 2nd, 2012|My Family|

It was at dinner one night, must have been several years ago now, that this idea hit me. Taryn has issues sitting in her chair at dinner. It was going on looooong before we realized it’s related to her sensory issues. But every time we sit at the table, without fail, we are reminding her to sit in her chair correctly. She perches on the edge, sits with her knees and feet up, or just doesn’t plant her butt in the chair at all. It drives us pretty crazy. Anyway, so one night, long ago, I told her I was going to buy her some suction cup pants. She gave me one of her crazy eyed funny looks and laughed. […]

Happy Holidays

Lyndsay Stradtner2011-12-24T11:47:40-06:00December 24th, 2011|My Family|

From my family, to yours!

Photo by the amazing Bonnie Berry.

Today I…

Lyndsay Stradtner2011-12-15T20:53:15-06:00December 15th, 2011|My Family|

Got up at 6 am with a bed full of little people attached to lots of elbows and knees.

Got their lunches together while the husband did supplements and got breakfast going.

Spent 20 minutes convincing Taryn she had to wear socks today. In the end, she won, but she wore her Tom’s today without any shoe issues. I still call that a win. SPD challenge.

Got Teagan and Taryn dressed for school.

Washed Teagan’s super impressive green smoothie mustache off.

Brushed hair.

And teeth.

Woke up Ty with a song and a jig.

Searched for allergy bracelets and discussed who would wear the one with all the charms and who would wear the one missing some. Note to self, order new charms slacker.

Gathered backpacks, passed out hugs, […]

mixed messages

Lyndsay Stradtner2011-12-14T21:40:10-06:00December 14th, 2011|Elf on a Shelf, My Family|

Jase and I have been struggling with the holidays for the last few years. At a religious level, a moral “why are we lying to our kids” level, at a “I wish this was simple” level, at a “all these messages are so confusing” level. Just struggling. I do a dance with those emotions and the guilt that comes with tearing the concept of Santa away from them and stealing the “magic” that society says we should create for them and marvel over. I keep thinking, there must be a better balance than what we have now, more meaning, less stuff. But what type of magic do I want for their […]

fear

Lyndsay Stradtner2011-12-12T22:55:16-06:00December 12th, 2011|My Family|

I wish every single teacher, school administrator, cafeteria worker, bus driver and janitor would read this.

So, so powerful.

No matter what the special need is, autism, down syndrome, or as is the case at our house, sensory processing disorder and multiple food allergies, there is a living, breathing special soul that needs attention and love and nurturing and just a little something extra from those that we parents trust enough to watch over our children while they are at school. We need confirmation. We need communication. We need that extra phone call and that extra time. We need to feel confident that child is not only genuinely cared for, but that one person, is going above and beyond. It’s not […]