The BEST Homemade Caramel

For my husband and I, caramel is an absolute favorite.  We had an idea to make some and once we tasted what we made, there was no going back to store bought caramel.  I will warn you however, this caramel is highly addicting!  Yes, it's that good!  But you don't have to take my word for it.  With this recipe, it is so easy to make.  Perfect for gift-giving also.

Ingredients:
1 cup butter
2 1/4 cup brown sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1-14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
1 tsp vanilla
(We usually double the recipe.)

You will need a candy thermometer and a heavy duty stock pot.  When done cooking, we pour ours into a 13 x 9 pan (or two) lined with parchment paper.  You will want to prepare this before starting the cooking process.  If you plan on dipping apples, prepare those in advance as well.

Cut butter into smaller pieces and melt over low heat.  Carefully add brown sugar to the center of the pan, stirring constantly until combined with butter.  Add light corn syrup and sweetened condensed milk.  Increase to medium heat for 1 minute, stirring constantly.  Then increase to medium-high heat until boiling.  Once boiling, clip on candy thermometer making sure it is not touching the bottom of your pan.  Reduce heat to medium, keeping a steady boil and stirring constantly.  Watch candy thermometer closely.  We take ours off the heat when it reaches 235-240 degrees.  This makes a nice soft, chewy caramel.  Add vanilla.  If dipping, start immediately.  Otherwise pour into prepared pan and allow to set.  Be careful though because this is HOT!

We let ours set overnight, then cut and wrap in waxed paper.

 
Are you ready to go make some now?

~Nicole~

Apple Picking

Last week we had "Field Trip Friday" and went apple picking at Apple Hill.  Last year was our first time actually picking the apples and it was such a memorable experience for everyone we decided to go again.  This year my mom was able to join us.  The specific grower we visited was Pine 'O Mine.  They grow granny smith and golden delicious apples and charge $1 a pound for the apples.  There are other farms/ranches that are much more commercialized, but with that comes larger crowds.

It was an absolutely beautiful day and the kids had some fun on the tire swings.  

Alex being pushed by dad.

John being pushed by dad.  Gee do you think he's enjoying it at all?

Where's Amada?

Here she is!

Now it's time for some apple picking!  How do you pick an apple?  Twist, twist, pull.

Amada 

James was in charge of the box.  He loves having a job to do.

Alex looks like he wants to bite into that apple.

I wonder what was on that apple?  John looks concerned.

Everyone picking golden delicious apples.

Here's our loot.  I love coming home and making homemade goodies: applesauce, caramel to go with the apples, apple fritters, applesauce cake with cream cheese frosting, and apple crisp to name a few.  I will be posting recipes this week.  Yum!

Can you tell that Fall is my favorite season?  What are some traditions that your family takes part in every year?

I am linking up with 1plus1plus1equals1 for the monthly Moments to Remember feature.

~Nicole~

Gimme Some Love

Ok, so I am having some problems getting Word Press up and running.  Actually I haven't even been able to log in yet.  My hosting company is working on their end but say it may be another 3 days before it is complete.  Oh my...

I do have some good news though.  Here are a few alternative ways you can contact me or follow along.

*New* Email: nicole@diverginglives.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/DivergingLives

Twitter: @ndeleon007

Instagram: diverginglives
YouTube: DivergingLives

If you have recently migrated a Blogger blog to Word Press what is your best advice?

~Nicole~

Surgery {Ear Tubes}

This morning, bright and early, James and I made a trip to the hospital for an outpatient procedure.  This is a regular occurrence for us, usually 2-3 times a year.  You know you're a regular when they have the bed set-up in the pre-op area with all of your favorite items and all the nurses greet you by first name.

James watching Barney.

James, our 8 year old son, has an open cleft palate {despite 3 attempts to repair it} so he is prone to ear infections.  As a preventative measure we have to keep {functioning} ear tubes in place.  We've tried the "wait and watch" approach, but he always ends up with an infection, which sets the snowball effect into motion.

     * Trip to the doctor for antibiotics, usually never at a convenient time.  Thankfully our pediatrician's office has an urgent care with evening and weekend appointments!
     * Through trial and error we discovered there is only 1 antibiotic that works for James: Augmentin ES.  The pharmacy doesn't always carry this and sometimes we have to wait a day or two.
     * Augmentin ES is such a strong antibiotic that it causes loose stools and a diaper rash/yeast infection.  Since James takes Probiotics daily, he no longer battles diarrhea while on antibiotics.
     * Not to mention, having a sick little boy.  When James is sick it really takes a toll on his entire system (physically, mentally and emotionally).
     * Decrease in his hearing function with infection and fluid build-up, which in turn effects his speech clarity.

Even though we have to head to the hospital about every 6 months for James to get a new set of ear tubes, it is well worth it!  He has become accustomed to the routine and does incredibly well.  Of course it helps that we have such a great hospital too.  James is such a brave boy with a huge smile, even after surgery!  He complains a little about all the wires and the IV, but maybe he just knows that once they come off he can go home.

James post-operatively, still smiling!

We will re-check his hearing in a couple of weeks and hopefully now that the tubes are functioning properly, his hearing will be closer to normal.  If not, we will deal with it when we come to it.

~Nicole~

Ladybug Life Cycle

I was kind of concerned about doing the ladybug life cycle at this time of year, but this was our last summertime activity.  It turned out well though because last week we had several days of HOT weather, like 100 degrees HOT!

While we waited for our ladybug larvae to arrive from insect lore, we began learning about them using our ladybug life cycle figures.  I also made these very colorful cards (which I laminated and attached magnetic strips to the back).  The kids were able to order the life cycle cards on their magnetic white boards.

Click here to download the Ladybug Life Cycle Cards

We read the book The Grouchy Ladybug and used our foam clocks (from the dollar section at Target) to practice telling time (to the hour).

We used this template to create our very own Grouchy Ladybug Clocks.

This was really neat to watch.  The kids raced down every morning to see the progression of our ladybugs.  The entire process took a little over a week, but every day there was a change so it made the waiting more bearable.

Our ladybug larvae have arrived!

The larvae are growing!  They shed their skin as they grow and
you can see the remains inside the container.

We have pupae!

And now...We have ladybugs!

We released the ladybugs into our rose bushes to take care of our aphid problem.

Here are some links to other sites, as well as some resources we found helpful in our unit study of ladybugs:

Enchanted Learning: Life Cycle of a Ladybug Printable Book for Early Readers
Home Training Tools: Learn About Ladybugs
Home Training Tools: Ladybug Life Cycle
Lapbook Lessons: Tons of Ladybug Activities

~Nicole~

DeFacto Parent Status

If you are someone who is taking care of a child who has been declared a dependent of the juvenile court (i.e. foster child) and you want to be more involved in the child's court case, you may want to consider applying for de facto parent status.  If your wish is to proceed towards adoption then I definitely recommend applying.

What is a "de facto parent"?

You may be a de facto parent if:

• The child is a dependent of the juvenile court.
• You are or have been taking care of the child every day.  
• You have been acting as the child's parent.
• You are meeting (or have met) the child's needs for food, shelter, and clothing.  You have also met the child's need for care and affection.

No law says exactly what a "de facto parent" needs to be.  Judges make the decision.

There is also nothing in writing as far as the time frame of when you can apply for de facto parent, but typically the child should be in your care for 4-6 months.

How do I apply for de facto parent status?

You will need to fill out form JV-295 which is the De Facto Parent Request form, as well as form JV-296 which is the De Facto Parent Statement form.  

On form JV-295 you will need to fill in your name, address, phone number, name of the child, and case number (if available), then sign and date.

On form JV-296 you say why you think the judge should decide that you are a de facto parent.  Be sure to include information like:

• How long you have cared for the child.
• What you do with the child.
• What you do for the child.
• How much you care for the child.
• What you know about the child's special needs, desires, and hopes.
• How you can meet the child's needs.

Rights of de facto parents:

• To be present at dependency hearings.  This is also your right as a caregiver, but as a de facto parent you are able to sit at the round table and be involved in the discussions rather than sit in the back of the court room as an observer.
• To be represented by a lawyer at your own expense.
• To present evidence and cross-examine witnesses.
• I was also told that if the placement of the child is contested (by a relative) and you have de facto parent status, that gives you equal standing with a relative.

Our experience:

Since all six of our adoptions were children who were residing in our home as foster children, we sought de facto parent status and it was granted.  We filled out forms JV-295 and JV-296, but we also included pictures of the child interacting with various members of our family.   

You can also attach letters from others who know you and the child.  Our children were all quite young when we filed for de facto parent, so we had our current foster family social worker write a letter on our behalf and included this with our forms.

When filing our forms, we went to the family court building in-person to file.  Depending on which county you live in, your court clerk's office may require you to fill out form JV-510 and serve copies of the request forms on all parties of the case. In Sacramento county we did not have to do this.  

We always made it a point to attend court dates for the children to see first-hand where the cases were headed.  Because we did this, we were usually more informed than the social workers.  *Smile*

Depending on the case and if the biological parents are involved, if you are declared de facto parent, you might also be able to obtain educational rights of the child.  This is especially important if the child has special needs and is on an IFSP or IEP.  Most of our children's adoptions were finalized before this became an issue. However with our last adoption, the biological parents were refusing to sign the forms that would allow the children to receive the services they needed and the judge did grant us educational rights. Again, we showed up to every court hearing and kept an open line of communication with the children's attorney.

*This information in this post is specific for the state of California.  If you reside in another state, please check with your state's court system.

~Nicole~

Chicken Tortilla Soup

*This recipe yields enough to completely fill my 8 quart stockpot.  Great to make when having company over or to freeze some for later.

Ingredients:
Chicken (4 large skinless, boneless chicken breasts)
6 quarts chicken broth
1 onion, diced
3 carrots, diced
2 potatoes, diced
6 oz. can of tomato paste
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 tsp. chipotle chile en adobo, pureed
1 pickled jalapeno chile seeded, chopped
2 tsp. oregano
1/4 tsp. cumin
salt & pepper, to taste
2-3 zucchini, cut bite-sized
2-3 yellow squash, cut bite-sized
1 red bell pepper
avocado, sliced
cilantro, chopped
Jack cheese, shredded
Tortilla chips

Preparation:
Boil chicken breasts in simmering chicken broth (only use 1/2 of the broth for this) until done.  Remove chicken and let cool.  Once chicken is cool, cut into bite-sized pieces (I use my mix 'n chop from Pampered Chef and it's super easy!).  Combine chicken, rest of broth, onion, carrots, potatoes, tomato paste, garlic, chipotle and jalapeno chiles, oregano, cumin, salt and pepper in 8 quart stockpot.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.  Add zucchini, squash and red bell pepper.  Bring to boil again, reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes.  Correct seasoning if necessary.

Ladle soup into bowl and garnish with avocado slice, jack cheese, cilantro, and tortilla chips.

This soup is very filling and so delicious!  Enjoy!

~Nicole~

Fall, My Favorite Season

Happy Fall!  Although here in California it doesn't quite feel like Fall yet, I'm going to pretend.  The school year, for us, is well under way.  Football season has begun.  I've brought the yarn out to resume crocheting and knitting.  And I am ready to begin making some of my favorite recipes, ones that are best suited for Fall.  There's just something about the smell of cinnamon baking that brings me back to Fall every year. 

What is your favorite season?  Do you have special traditions or recipes that are reserved for that season?

~Nicole~ 

Photo Organization

Here is a preview of the photo book I made on Shutterfly of our family vacation to Disneyland this summer.  It's so easy to do!  I love that I can load my pictures and have the book printed.  Shutterfly makes it easy to share our vacation memories with our family and friends.  We have also done photo books of our Adoption Day, as well as for Mother's Day presents.  How would you use a photo book?

Click here to view this photo book larger

Shutterfly photo books offer a variety of layouts and cover options to choose from.

~Nicole~

Sensory Processing Disorder: Smell & Taste

Each week I post about some type of therapy we use, who recommended it, and the reason we are using it.  Remember, I am not a licensed therapist and I am sharing our experiences. Please feel free to share your experiences in the comments. We would love to hear from you! 

For the last month, I have been highlighting the different senses that Sensory Processing Disorder affects, a checklist of symptoms and some activities we do to help.  We started with proprioception, which is the internal sense of knowing where your body parts are without looking a them.  Then we went on to the tactile system, which is how our brain receives information coming from the receptors on our skin about touch, pain and temperature.  Next was the vestibular system, which coordinates movement and balance through receptors in the inner ear and in relation to Earth's gravity.  Then we looked at the visual sense and how it is much more complex than just viewing an image.  Last we visited the auditory sense which is much more complex than just hearing sounds.  And finally, to wrap it up, we are sharing about the olfactory (smell) and gustatory (taste) senses.

Sensory Processing Disorder: Olfactory and Gustatory

Olfactory is our sense of smell and gustatory is our sense of taste.  I have combined these into one post because they definitely work in tandem.  The best analogy of this is how when you have a stuffy nose it is difficult to taste food.  Our olfactory system carries odors directly to the portion of our brain which is involved with memory, emotion, behavior, and pleasure.  Do certain smells bring back specific memories for you, good or bad?  To this day I still cannot make corned beef hash because when I was pregnant with our daughter (19 years ago) the smell of it made me nauseous.  

There are four basic tastes: sweet, salty, sour, and bitter.  However, food texture and temperature can also affect our children with sensory processing disorder.  One of our children used to go around licking everything, even at the age of 5.  He also stuffs his mouth when he eats and is our child who loves spicy foods (peppers, salsa, guacamole).  Then we have another child who doesn't eat very many different foods and in fact we supplement his diet with nutritional drinks.  He was also born with a cleft lip/palate, has mild cerebral palsy, and has difficulty with oral motor tasks (speech & drooling).      

Here is the olfactory and oral input portion of the complete sensory processing disorder checklist found on Sensory-Processing-Disorder.com.

Signs Of Olfactory Dysfunction (Smells):

1. Hypersensitivity To Smells (Over-Responsive):

__ reacts negatively to, or dislikes smells which do not usually bother, or get noticed, by other people

__ tells other people (or talks about) how bad or funny they smell

__ refuses to eat certain foods because of their smell

__ offended and/or nauseated by bathroom odors or personal hygiene smells

__ bothered/irritated by smell of perfume or cologne

__ bothered by household or cooking smells

__ may refuse to play at someone's house because of the way it smells

__ decides whether he/she likes someone or some place by the way it smells

2. Hyposensitivity To Smells (Under-Responsive):

__ has difficulty discriminating unpleasant odors

__ may drink or eat things that are poisonous because they do not notice the noxious smell

__ unable to identify smells from scratch 'n sniff stickers

__ does not notice odors that others usually complain about

__ fails to notice or ignores unpleasant odors

__ makes excessive use of smelling when introduced to objects, people, or places

__ uses smell to interact with objects

Signs Of Oral Input Dysfunction:

1. Hypersensitivity To Oral Input (Oral Defensiveness):

__ picky eater, often with extreme food preferences; i.e., limited repertoire of foods, picky about brands, resistive to trying new foods or restaurants, and may not eat at other people's houses)

__ may only eat "soft" or pureed foods past 24 months of age

__ may gag with textured foods

__ has difficulty with sucking, chewing, and swallowing; may choke or have a fear of choking

__ resists/refuses/extremely fearful of going to the dentist or having dental work done

__ may only eat hot or cold foods

__ refuses to lick envelopes, stamps, or stickers because of their taste

__ dislikes or complains about toothpaste and mouthwash

__ avoids seasoned, spicy, sweet, sour or salty foods; prefers bland foods

2. Hyposensitivity To Oral Input (Under-Registers)

__ may lick, taste, or chew on inedible objects

__ prefers foods with intense flavor; i.e., excessively spicy, sweet, sour, or salty

__ excessive drooling past the teething stage

__ frequently chews on hair, shirt, or fingers

__ constantly putting objects in mouth past the toddler years

__ acts as if all foods taste the same

__ can never get enough condiments or seasonings on his/her food

__ loves vibrating toothbrushes and even trips to the dentist

Some ideas that were recommended to us by our children's occupational therapists are adding additional flavors to food to awaken the taste buds, offering different/new foods with one meal of the day, promote activities that allow chewing (sugar free gum, licorice, chewy tube, or straw), sucking (milkshake, smoothie, eating yogurt/applesauce with a straw, using a straw to pick up small pieces of paper during table activities), or blowing (whistle, balloon, or musical instrument).  We have used a wet washcloth to rub around the cheeks, chin, jaw & eventually the tongue and inside of cheeks as tolerated.

Our therapist also recommended KT tape used around the outside of the mouth to bring awareness to the area.  It is amazing the difference it makes with drooling!

~Nicole~

Our Homeschool Day...No Two Days Are The Same

www.diverginglives.com

Our homeschool schedule is a work in progress.  No two days are ever the same!  I'm sure many of you can relate.  The schedule I posted below are typical days.  We are constantly having to make room in our day and change things around due to therapies and appointments.  Although we do have occurrences that happen every day, they just may not happen at the same time every day.  I try to remain as flexible as possible, but still keeping the flow of our day consistent.   

New to our schedule this year is our oldest two children (ages 18 and 20) are now in college.  They attend a local community college only miles from our house.  Even though only one of them drives, they still carpool as much as possible.    

You might notice that I don't break our schedule down by subjects.  We do accomplish reading and math everyday.  We do unit studies which cover one topic at a time (either history or science).  We incorporate lots of movement breaks and hands-on activities since our children have short attention spans, sensory processing disorder and learning difficulties.    

	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
7 am	Wake up/get dressed	Wake up/get dressed	Wake up/get dressed	Wake up/get dressed	Wake up/get dressed
8 am	Breakfast/chores	Breakfast/chores	Breakfast/chores	Breakfast/chores	Breakfast/chores
9 am	AAR – circle/table time	Earnest	AAR – circle/table time	Earnest	AAR – circle/table time
10 am	Crystal	AAR – circle/table time	snack	AAR – circle/table time	snack
11 am	Outside time	Outside time	Outside time	Outside time	Outside time
12 pm	lunch	lunch	lunch	Lunch/James OT	lunch
1 pm	Quiet time	Quiet time	Quiet time	Quiet time	Quiet time
2 pm	Math/learning game	Unit study	Math/learning game	Unit study	Math/learning game
3 pm	iPad activities	Alex ACE	Alex ACE	Alex ACE	iPad activities
4 pm	Outside time	Outside time	Outside time	Outside time	Outside time
5 pm	dinner	dinner	dinner	dinner	dinner
6 pm	Free/family time	Free/family time	Free/family time	Free/family time	Free/family time
7 pm	Littles bedtime routine	Littles bedtime routine	Littles bedtime routine	Littles bedtime routine	Littles bedtime routine
8 pm	Mom prep/computer	Mom prep/computer	Mom prep/computer	Mom prep/computer	Mom prep/computer
9 pm	Dad TV	Dad TV	Dad TV	Dad TV	Dad TV
10 pm	Grown-up quality time	Grown-up quality time	Grown-up quality time	Grown-up quality time	Grown-up quality time
KEY:	Johnathan appointments	James appointments	Alex appointments

*AAR – All About Reading

You may want to check out our homeschool classroom or how we make curriculum adaptations to allow for easier learning.

~Nicole~

Have a comment or question?  I would love to hear your feedback!