This is a great way for me to learn more about my bloggy friends and to help promote their blog. So, once you're read their fantastic post, stop by their blog and leave them a note. Tell 'em you stopped by from Dawn's Disaster :) If you'd like to be a part of my Traveling Tuesdays, give me a holler or stop by my contact page.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
I am SO excited to be here!!!My name is Marianne Sandling, I'm an early-30 something with a WONDERFUL husband (and no, he's not reading this...he really is wonderful!!) of 11 years, and 2 amazing boys, 7 and 14 (both going on 20!)
Sorry there aren't any pictures of me... While I've recently lost 60lbs over the last year, I still don't do pictures!!! (there is one on my blog's header if you MUST see me!)
My blog is Sandling All Day. It's a blog dedicated to everything... really, everything!! I provide information and resources for parents of children with special needs. My 7yr old is special needs, and I know how difficult it can be to find resources... I even have a whole pinterest board dedicated to apps for special needs kids.
I LOVE doing product reviews! It still excites me when a company uses my contact me page to ask ME for a review. It amazes me!! I review pretty much anything that's not 'adult', since my blog is family friendly. I love showing how products can be used by/or help with someone with a disability. I myself am disabled, as is my husband.
I also blog DIY, gardening, home, recipes.. pretty much everything, like I said!
During the week, I usually spend 2-3 days working with my mom, who owns a gardening business. Helping mow 13-17 lawns is definitely hard, but I LOVE being out in the gardens. I love the smell of fresh cut grass (hermione anyone?) and the smell of fragrant flowers.
I volunteer on several committes at my younger son's school, and am on the PTA's of both kid's school. (The older one does NOT, absolutely NOT want me volunteering at his school!! lol)
I am ALL about family. I learned one IMPORTANT thing when I was young... that is to talk to your family's elders. Get their stories (on tape, if you can) and learn as much as you can... because when they pass, so does all their stories, all the information... everything!
I recently tried to do a family tree, and asked everyone in my family, but no one seemed to know anything past my grandma. Thank goodness that I'd asked her before she passed about our family, or I wouldn't have known anything. If it weren't for the ancestry website, and someone else in the family tree (whom I don't know!) having done research, I wouldn't have anything!!!
It stemmed from a book I co-authored with some other kids as part of a Seattle Summer Youth Employment Program, KaRaNaSan- A Filipino Anthology. We went down to the local Filipino "hang out" and were paired with an elder, whom we asked a bunch of questions to. I learned then, how important it is to get this information now.
So when my mother in law was released from the hospital into hospice care 2 years ago, I immediately started asking her questions. I will be going to my father in law's house soon to do the same. (My husband is almost 60, so you can imagine, my FIL is up there.) :)
If I could impart any wisdom onto you today, it would be the following:
1. let your kids be KIDS!! Honestly, it's so hard for me today, to see parents who expect their children to be little adults... one mom literally YELLING at her child in my son's class, because she was dancing... during the class "dancing time"... and then openly complaining about how SILLY the dancing was.... It's first grade!!
2. give in..sometimes... Especially when they're young. While it's important for safety and all, it's OK if they get a little extra... they learn to be giving, loving children. If you're always uptight, so they will be.
3. MAKE THEM WEAR SEATBELTS. PERIOD. need I say more?
4. GET YOUR CARSEAT PROFESSIONALLY CHECKED. (Sorry for yelling...this one's SUPER important to me!!!) Your local Children's hospital has seatbelt assistance. They do. Trust me. Just call them and ask. Usually they have special days you can go and get your carseat put in professionally. I can't tell you how many times I've seen infants buckled in improperly. NO BLANKETS!!!!!!!!!! I don't care if your child is uncomfortable...you can't buckle them in loose. My mom used to joke that my kid was so tight in there, that he wouldn't ever give me grandchildren. Well, when my husband was rear-ended with my son in the car by someone going 45mph (they were at a red-light) you better believe my mom was HAPPY that he was in there tight. It breaks my heart to see children who've been in hurt in accidents...where the injury could have been prevented with proper buckling!!!
5. Finally, SECURE YOUR FURNITURE. This blog post WILL make you cry, but if it saves just one life... Meghan would be 11 right now.
Thank you for listening, reading & learning. I really enjoy talking!!! If you'd like to listen in, join me!!!
I want to thank Dawn for this amazing opportunity!! It's not often that you find a blogger with THIS big of a heart... I'm grateful for being able to be a part of a great 'tradition' on her blog!!
Marianne
~dawn
