Follow & Win!

A few days ago, I posted about my little contest, "Ready, Set, Follow", about following on my blog. Just wanted to let you know that there is still time to get a sweet gift card to Hobby Lobby and a women's Autism T-shirt! Let's see who will win these goodies!

Just a reminder - here are the RULES

Rules....

1. Comment on my earlier post, "Ready, Set, Follow" that you are a new follower.
2. Let me know who sent ya!

Only comments on the "Ready, Set, Follow" post will be counted.

Let the bidding begin!

Mother's Day and graduations are just around the corner. Stop by 8 Little Monkeys Facebook page to get a jump start on your shopping by participating in the Auction for Isaiah.

As I mentioned to you all, I have a darling friend who is in need of some love & support. I have set up an online auction for the Biel Family on my Facebook page. There are some awesome goodies on there!

The auction is scheduled for Friday, April 20th through Monday, April 23rd. Winners will be announced on Tuesday April 24th. This auction is to help his loving family with the costs associated with brain surgery that are not covered by health insurance (food, travel, hotel for the family, child care for siblings, etc).

To make a monetary donation directly to the family, please visit the family's page on ChipIn.com.  Winners will be announced on April.

Happy Bidding!

Auction for Isaiah

In my life I have been so very blessed with the love, support and friendship of so many amazing people. In some of the toughest times in my life, I have been able to count on a few wonderful folks who have lent me an ear, a shoulder to cry on or a helping hand. Recently, I found out that one of the families that has touched my life was given some life changing news about their 4 year old son, Isaiah.

Isaiah is a sweet 4 year old little boy who was diagnosed with Autism a few years ago. During a recent routine neurology visit, the family was informed that Isaiah is suffering from a condition called Chiari Malformation.  Chiari Malformation is a serious condition of the cerebellum - the part of the brain that controls motor movement and other functions. The condition can cause severe headaches, difficulty swallowing and be as serious as paralysis. Little Isaiah is scheduled to have decompression surgery on May 9th. 

To help defer the costs associated with the operation, 8 Little Monkeys is holding an online auction. This auction is to help his loving family with the costs associated with brain surgery that are not covered by health insurance (food, travel, hotel for the family, child care for siblings, etc). The auction is scheduled for Friday, April 20th through Monday, April 23rd. Winners will be announced on Tuesday April 24th.


If you are a shop owner or vendor and would like to donate an item to this auction, please contact me at 8littlemonkeys@gmail.com. To make a monetary donation directly to the family, please visit the family's page on ChipIn.com. 

Ready, Set, Follow....

In honor of my first year, I would like to thank my fans and friends for all their support. As a thank you I would like to offer a $10 gift certificate to Hobby Lobby and a women's size large Autism t-shirt to the fan that brings me the most blog followers by 11:59pm on Tuesday April 24th. The winner will be announced on Wednesday April 25th.

Rules....

1. Comment below that you are a new follower.
2. Let me know who sent ya!

Only comments on this post will be counted.

Thanks so much! Ready...set....refer & FOLLOW!!

The Biggest Learner!

So, school is back in session for most of my kiddos. I say most because my oldest little monkey had a last minute change in school. Finding the right school placement for him has always been a challenge. Luckily, I have been blessed to live in a state that offers great funding opportunities for children with Autism Spectrum Disorders. This will be our second year of "homeschooling" my son. Homeschooling a child with autism is a completely different game than homeschooling a typical child.

In a few weeks, I'm back to hitting the books myself. Since I lost my job about a year ago, my kids have grown accustomed to seeing me in blue jeans and t-shirts instead of heels and suits. They love having me home when they are finished with school, but they have learned to steer clear of mommy while she is glued to the computer or buried in a textbook.

This quarter is crucial for me. Out of over 150 applicants, I was chosen as one of 8 participants in the school's reality series, "The Biggest Learner". Much like the show, the "biggest loser", there are 2 teams and they are trying to get the highest GPA. Each student from the winning team gets $1,000 scholarship! Wish me luck!

http://www2.cscc.edu/subjects/biggest-learner.shtml

Needless to say, it may be quiet around here at the end of the month. That doesn't mean I don't love all my fans. Stay tuned for some goodies....

As if I don't have enough to do...

As if I don't have enough to do, I thought I would add a few more items to my to-do list. This is actually an exercise in becoming organized and lifting up  my spirits a bit. As many of you know, I am a student and a mom to 4 beautiful children and 4 awesome step - kiddos (to be). This week marks the end of my summer quarter and one full year of school! Woo Hoo! I'm super excited about having one year of school under my belt. One(ish) more year to go and I will finally have my associates degree. This is huge considering all the adversity and challenges I have faced from the first time I stepped foot in a college classroom fresh out of high school. When I say fresh, I mean I had just graduate high school a couple of weeks before jumping into college. (And I won't tell you what year that was...)



Over the past few months, I have been making props for photographers and filling orders (slowly) for customers, and every time I sit down with my hooks and yarn, my girls ask me, "are you making a hat for me"? So when Scotti from the Inner Hooker shop posted on her Facebook page a crochet along, I figured it was an excellent opportunity to start on some goodies for my girls while keeping me on track! Well, at least one of them will have something special.



Another little project, is to highlight fellow crafters and mommy-preneurs (and a few dads too) that have been inspirational to 8 Little Monkeys. A few months ago I highlighted Crochet My Love Designs,  (I love reading that post!), and I think it's time that I spread the love to all the folks I have met on this journey. I am surrounded by some wonderful folks who have great talent. Through their work and their words, they have kept me going. I hope that you will all join me as I celebrate other talented artists and parents.

Many of you know, that I am the mother of two children with Autism. The past few months have been a bit of a challenge for our family for a number of reasons. I will be sharing more about my journey, struggles and triumphs with autism in some future posts as well.

 There are a few more things "cooking" that I will share once things develop!

Christmas In July

A lot of shops and local businesses like to advertise Christmas in July sales. You can get a head start on your holiday shopping with the fabulous discounts and offers. However, many forget that the meaning of Christmas is not just nicely wrapped goodies, but the spirit of giving to others in need and celebrating the birth of Christ.

In the spirit of Christmas in July, I'm going to feature a charity where crafters can share the gift of their talent with others. This week, I am going to feature Scarves for Special Olympics.

The purpose - "Handmade scarves donated as a result of the 2012 Special Olympics USA Scarf Project will be a symbol of unity, support, compassion and empowerment, as the Special Olympics athletes, coaches, families, volunteers and supporters wear them with pride in knowing they have become part of the Special Olympics family. "

Scarves for Special Olympics is near and dear to my heart. As many of you know, two of my little monkeys have been diagnosed with Autism. This upcoming year, they will be participating in our local Special Olympics chapter. I am so excited that they will be able to participate in sports events with others with physical and mental challenges. We are so blessed to have organizations like Special Olympics that give folks who otherwise would not have a chance, an opportunity to participate in athletic programs.

To learn more about the program, visit Red Heart yarns at the link below:
Scarves for Special Olympics

Follow other knitters and crocheters participating in this project on Facebook at the link below:
Scarves for Special Olympics - Facebook

Happy Crocheting & Crafting!

Autism Moms Rock - "We make Autism look good!"

Autism File Magazine & Autism Hope Alliance will be producing a calendar for 2012 representing moms around the country (and world). I called up a few of my fellow Autism mommies and we joined together for a good time. After a few hours of hair by Heather at Clip-It's Salon, make up by Erin Kelly, snacks, and networking Jillian of Jillian Renee Photography was able to do her magic and capture some beautiful shots of us. All in all, yesterday was a great day!


Check out 8 Little Monkeys on facebook or Jillian Renee Photography on facebook for a sneak peak of what we did yesterday! As one of my fellow "autism moms" said, "We make Autism look good!"

Want to look as cool as we did? Want to support OCALI, a great autism organization? Hop on over to 8 Little Monkeys on Etsy to order your t-shirt! Available in youth sizes as well as men's crew neck and women's v-necks!! 

Just In Time for Autism Awareness Month!

Thanks to Kevin over at Blu Dot Design Group for his amazing patience, 8 Little Monkeys is proud and excited to unveil a special item. Check out this special t-shirt at our shop. A portion of the proceeds will benefit OCALI, Ohio Center for Autism and Low Incidence, a local Autism organization that "serves families, educators, and professionals working with students with autism and low-incidence disabilities, including autism spectrum disorders, multiple disabilities, orthopedic impairments, other health impairments, and traumatic brain injuries."

For those of you who don't know me, I am the mother of 4 beautiful children and step mother "to be" of 4 children. Two of my children have been diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorders. OCALI has been instrumental in my children's developmental success. Our family moved from Texas to Ohio to access services and resources that would be beneficial for the kids' development. Thanks to the resources provided by OCALI,  this transition was a little easier for us. We have been able to access a wonderful lending library full of DVDs, books and much more. My family has also had the pleasure of attending one of the annual conferences that OCALI hosts.

OCALI offers so many programs and opportunities to help families facing challenges achieve maximum potential. Buying a shirt from 8 Little Monkeys is a small way to give back to a great organization while showing your support for this epidemic!