I know parents are always struggling with some ideas for their Elf on the Shelf, so we compiled a list of things we are going to do at the Bay house, complete with a grocery list, incase anyone needs it!
*shopping list on Friday, November 29th (for the next week activities)- Candy canes, tissues
Sunday, December 1st- Ellie sitting on the counter with a note for the kids [PINTEREST LINK]
Monday, December 2nd- The Floor is Lava note from Ellie [PINTEREST LINK]
Tuesday, December 3rd- Have a note that says "Candy Cane Scavenger Hunt- Can you find all the candy canes?" Next to Ellie
Wednesday, December 4th- Hang our underwear from the ceiling fan
Thursday, December 5th- Have Ellie sleeping in a box of tissues.
Friday, December 6th- Have Ellie sitting there with a surprise and say "We are going to donate this to someone we see in public!"
*shopping list on Friday, December 6th (for the next week activities)- Cocoa Puffs, band aids, print Christmas coloring page
Saturday, December 7th- Have the Elf sitting with a bowl of Cocoa Puffs and a sign that says "Free Reindeer Poop!"
Sunday, December 8th- Have Ellie covered in band aids on the bathroom counter.
Monday, December 9th- Trees for Sale sign while Ellie is sitting in front of Little Debbie Christmas cakes
Tuesday, December 10th- Have Ellie taped to the wall and all the other stuffed animals sitting around! [PINTEREST LINK]
Wednesday, December 11th- Have a note from Ellie in my car that says she wants to see the kid's schools! [PINTEREST LINK]
Thursday, December 12th- Have Ellie decorate the wall/door as a snowman [[PINTEREST LINK]]
Friday, December 13th- Have Ellie sitting there with a Christmas coloring page and say 'Let's Color!'
*Shopping list for upcoming week: Stuff to make a Christmas care package, gingerbread house things, all the ingredients to make Grinch Fudge, sprinkles, McDonalds gift cards
Saturday, December 14th- Have Ellie sitting with a note that says "Let's buy some stuff at the store today to make a Christmas care package for someone!" (Here's some Christmas care package ideas: LINK)
Sunday, December 15th- Have Ellie sitting with the Gingerbread House kit!
Monday, December 16th- Have Ellie hanging from a toilet paper hammock (PINTEREST LINK)
Tuesday, December 17th- Have Ellie sitting in a corner with a time out sign and letter saying that Santa put her in a time out for being naughty yesterday.
Wednesday, December 18th- Have Ellie making a snow angel in sprinkles. (PINTEREST LINK)
Thursday, December 19th- Have Ellie sitting with a Christmas scattergories game (check out our December Activities blog!) and say "Let's play when you get home from school!"
Friday, December 20th- Have Ellie sitting with a couple Mcdonalds gift cards and say "Let's give these to some staff at school today for our random act of kindness!"
*Shopping list for upcoming week: Stuff for cookie decorating, streamers, print Christmas message
Saturday, December 21st- Have Ellie sitting with a note about "Decorating Cookies" for our activity today!
Sunday, December 22nd- Have Ellie put a bunch of streamers up somewhere where the kids will walk down, walk through, etc.
Monday, December 23rd- Have Ellie sitting with a secret message! (PINTEREST LINK)
Tuesday, December 24th- Have Ellie sitting with a note that says "Jesus is the Reason for the Season" as a reminder with what tomorrow actually is! (PINTEREST LINK)
Wednesday, December 25th- Have a beautiful goodbye message from Ellie.
We hope you had an amazing month of December! We enjoyed doing this with all of you! Please feel free to share any pictures that you have! We would love to see them!
Sending the love to all of you today!
Friday, November 29, 2019
Monday, November 25, 2019
What If-
I feel like a broken record when it comes to talking about Autism.
I feel like no one wants to hear it anymore because no one can help me.
I feel like a burden to share my feelings with others.
I feel like I'm the worst mom in the world and I don't know how to stop those feelings.
I feel like I don't do enough and my child would be better with other people.
I feel like I have no idea how to handle Autism- no idea how to fix our daughter.
I feel like I'm struggling and drowning and screaming and crying for help.
And I feel like there's no help.
There's no answers.
There's no cure.
It's the same thing day after day.
And I don't know how to heal it.
How to heal her.
How to heal me.
How to heal our family.
All we have is brokenness.
Is the unknown.
Is frustration.
Is hopelessness.
Is absolute fear.
How do I handle her meltdowns when she's almost as big as me?
How do I handle her constant need to eat?
How do I handle her biting her arms?
And pinching me?
And wanting to hurt herself or others?
I'm lost.
I need answers.
I need hope.
I need to know that things get better.
I need to know that I'm capable of being a better parent of a child with Autism
because right now, I don't feel it at all.
I can't help her.
I can't fix this.
I can't make her whole.
I can't find a cure.
I don't even know how to stop simple things-
How can I one day control the big things?
And I feel like no one gets the vastness of this situation-
Of the struggles we face.
Of the bitterness and anger that overwhelms my soul-
Of what we have to watch our daughter go through.
I want to talk about it.
I want to share it.
But what do you do when you're sharing the same thing every day?
Because you have no idea how to fix it.
You try and you try.
But sometimes the things you NEED just aren't available at the time.
Right now, I find the solace I need at the bottom of a beer bottle.
And you can judge all you need to-
I get it.
I'd judge me too if I wasn't walking a thousand miles in my own shoes.
Shoes of complete desperation and confusion and the feeling of-
just not being enough.
Not enough for Autism.
Not enough for what comes with it.
Not enough for this journey.
Maybe one day that solace will come from the good book-
Or a dream-
Or the actual thing, a cure, falling into our laps.
But for now, it comes from things that quiet the torment
Of these demons-
The demons of "what if."
What if this is life as we know it.
What if we have to prepare to take care of our child for the rest of our lives-
And then prepare for someone else to take care of her for the rest of hers?
What if there's never a cure and she hurts herself continually, leaving marks, leaving a reminder?
What if this is the best I'll ever be because I don't know what I'm doing because you don't get taught
these things leaving an Autism clinic?
What if?
What if?
What if this brokenness never leaves?
What if this feeling of guilt refuses to depart?
What if?
I feel like no one wants to hear it anymore because no one can help me.
I feel like a burden to share my feelings with others.
I feel like I'm the worst mom in the world and I don't know how to stop those feelings.
I feel like I don't do enough and my child would be better with other people.
I feel like I have no idea how to handle Autism- no idea how to fix our daughter.
I feel like I'm struggling and drowning and screaming and crying for help.
And I feel like there's no help.
There's no answers.
There's no cure.
It's the same thing day after day.
And I don't know how to heal it.
How to heal her.
How to heal me.
How to heal our family.
All we have is brokenness.
Is the unknown.
Is frustration.
Is hopelessness.
Is absolute fear.
How do I handle her meltdowns when she's almost as big as me?
How do I handle her constant need to eat?
How do I handle her biting her arms?
And pinching me?
And wanting to hurt herself or others?
I'm lost.
I need answers.
I need hope.
I need to know that things get better.
I need to know that I'm capable of being a better parent of a child with Autism
because right now, I don't feel it at all.
I can't help her.
I can't fix this.
I can't make her whole.
I can't find a cure.
I don't even know how to stop simple things-
How can I one day control the big things?
And I feel like no one gets the vastness of this situation-
Of the struggles we face.
Of the bitterness and anger that overwhelms my soul-
Of what we have to watch our daughter go through.
I want to talk about it.
I want to share it.
But what do you do when you're sharing the same thing every day?
Because you have no idea how to fix it.
You try and you try.
But sometimes the things you NEED just aren't available at the time.
Right now, I find the solace I need at the bottom of a beer bottle.
And you can judge all you need to-
I get it.
I'd judge me too if I wasn't walking a thousand miles in my own shoes.
Shoes of complete desperation and confusion and the feeling of-
just not being enough.
Not enough for Autism.
Not enough for what comes with it.
Not enough for this journey.
Maybe one day that solace will come from the good book-
Or a dream-
Or the actual thing, a cure, falling into our laps.
But for now, it comes from things that quiet the torment
Of these demons-
The demons of "what if."
What if this is life as we know it.
What if we have to prepare to take care of our child for the rest of our lives-
And then prepare for someone else to take care of her for the rest of hers?
What if there's never a cure and she hurts herself continually, leaving marks, leaving a reminder?
What if this is the best I'll ever be because I don't know what I'm doing because you don't get taught
these things leaving an Autism clinic?
What if?
What if?
What if this brokenness never leaves?
What if this feeling of guilt refuses to depart?
What if?
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