APPS For Children With Special Needs {A4cwsn} 40 iPad #GIVEAWAY {read all the way through to the end of this post to see how you can enter to win 1 of 40 iPads being given away}

I want to introduce you to an awesome community of people that have an enormous heart for all children, especially those with special needs! Gary, is the 'mastermind' behind APPS For Children With Special Needs {A4cwsn}!

You may remember awhile back I ran a raffle event called Caring for Coen, which you can read about HERE and HERE! My best friend from 8th grade's son has Autism Spectrum Disorder. Since moving from Maryland to Tennessee, I've been blessed in that I've been able to see Laura and her family again. The last time I saw Laura was when we moved from Oklahoma to Maryland, and Coen was a newborn baby! We've met up several times and let our kids play together. Coen is very dear to my heart. When Laura had Coen, I did not yet have any kids, and believed that I could not conceive. Thankfully God had other plans, and as you all know I have two boys ages 2 and 4! Coen has really influenced me in a mighty way. Seeing that he and Aaron are only 2 years apart in age and the challenges that Laura faces daily, really struck me to the core. There is no cure for Autism, no known cause. Yet the number of kids being diagnosed with Autism is on the rise! A staggering 1 in 88 kids are now being diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)! That's a 78% increase from 10 years ago!

A little bit about A4cwsn and their mission (information taken from A4cwsn's website):
"a4cwsn is committed to helping the families and carers of children with special needs and the wider community of educators and therapists who support them, by producing videos that demonstrate how products designed to educate children and build their life skills really work from a user perspective. Our aim is that these videos, along with relevant information and advice from an independent source you can trust, provides valuable insight into whether a product is suitable for its intended purpose or not, enabling sensible buying decisions to be made. We hope this site and its content provides a valuable resource to the community that serves our precious children with special needs."

Here are some words 'straight from the horse's mouth' as they say, directly from Gary, detailing his journey with a son who has epilepsy and is also on the spectrum:
"A4cwsn, apps for children with Special Needs began as a hobby back in January 2011. My son Benjamin was diagnosed with Epilepsy and is on the Spectrum, so when the iPad came out we thought, maybe this could help in some way. Well almost immediately we started seeing his attention span increase as he became fascinated by the touch screen and what the apps were about. I then decided to contact some developers and ask if i could get app codes to video and put on a web-site to share with other parents. These would be apps that i thought were useful for other parents of children with Special Needs, it not only showed you what the apps can do but also saved you time and most importantly money. A lot of apps for CWSN can cost upwards of $50 - $300 and that is a lot to ask of a parent if they know nothing about the app. Anyway, so here we are today, over 500 Apps on Video, over 140 people helped to get iPads and by the end of 2012, we hope around 200 ppl will have got iPads through A4. We have been mentioned on ABC, NBC, CBS, WSJ Radio, FOX, USA Today, Huffington Post, Forbes Magazine, NYTimes to name a few. We intend to continue helping as many ppl as possible for as long as possible."

Gary (with the help of the A4cwsn community) has put iPads in the hands of kids who really need them. iPads have become an important tool in the hands of kids with special needs! Applications (APPS) have been created to help all children develop in all areas of their lives. There are APPS for helping with speech, reading, color identification, daily tasks such as waking up, going to the bathroom and brushing your teeth (as shown HERE in Gary's video review of the Abilipad APP)! This APP is simply amazing!! If I had an iPad I would be buying it!! Especially since its now on sale for 50% off! Only $9.99 now through July 13!

This is just one of the amazing resources available at A4cwsn: (taken from A4cwsn's website):
Amazing Parents / Professionals dealing with Amazing Children
This page is all about our Facebook Community and we hope that you will join us. Below you will find a growing list of conditions and disorders that our community deals with every day. As a community we are here for each other and here to listen. We want to hear from you and we want you to listen to us. We all need a shoulder to cry on from time to time. Here is a pretty big one just for you.


If you click on the type of condition or disorder it will take you to a page that will provide more information. To see the complete list of condition/disorder and view the information specific to that condition/disorder, please click HERE!

Not only does A2cwsn help get iPads into the hands of some really special kids, A4cwsn also provides a wealth of information on a wide variety of iPad APPS right at your fingertips!

I know many of you will be heading over to A4cwsn to check out the awesome APPS that are available, special needs or not! These APPS are amazing and can be used by all children to  aide in their every day learning!



What kind of information will be in these e-mails? A4cwsn is organizing several giveaways which will be open to the A4cwsn community!
Here are the details of what is in store (in the terms of giveaways and gifts) at A4cwsn: (taken from A4cwsn's website)

By the end of 2012 A4Cwsn will be very close to 200 iPads given away through the A4 community and thousands of apps and iTunes cards as well as a cruise to a family of four and far too many other gifts to mention.

We have every intention of continuing to help Children with Special Needs and Parents, teachers and professionals get the tools they need for their Children and clients, students. With your help this will be a reality.

We will be working closely with Developers to have exciting news / announcements in the emails and of course special offers, sales and promo codes.
Literally, I just signed up for the $12 subscription. I mean, that's only $1 a month. I bet you spend 3 times that amount on a meal out with the family! I think we can all find it in our hearts (and finances) to give $12 to support such an awesome vision! Whether your child is a special needs child or not, we all have the ability to help those who really need help the most! 
To sign up for either a $3 or $12 subscription, please click HERE! Here is how I see it. This blog right now has 2125 readers. If each one of you gave only $3 that would make $6375.00 towards the purchase of iPads and APPS that will be given to special needs children!
What are you waiting for? Go sign up! I'm sure you won't miss $3.00 or that next latte from Starbucks you were planning to buy! 
If you do sign up, could you please do me a favor and comment on this post, so I know you did! Or if you'd rather do so and remain anonymous, that is ok too!

Now here is the information you have all been waiting for!

How do you enter to win 1 of 40 iPads that Gary (of A4cwsn) is giving away???

I'm so glad you asked. Just for clarification, by supporting A4cwsn via an e-mail subscription mentioned above will not increase your chance of winning one of the 40 iPads that will be given away. To be eligible to win one of the 40 iPads given away this time around, you simply need so subscribe to A4cwsn via e-mail. You can do that HERE (left side-bar, half way down under 'subscribe to our mailing list')!
Why not show your support of A4cwsn's vision and mission by 'liking' them on Facebook. You can also let them know I sent ya if you'd like :)

Don't forget to read about our experience with worms, and the current $25 GC giveaway to Heirloom Wooden Toys (open to US residents only) which ends 17 July!


Oh, and the upcoming Flufftastic Summer Celebration (10-24 August)! Where I will be giving away over $120.00 of fluffy prize packs each one valued at at least $30!!

Thanks for being a Life With My Littles reader!!

~Mama of the Littles~

Let me introduce you to great friend Laura, and her family #caringforcoen

I would like to take a moment to introduce you to my best friend Laura.
Laura and I have known each other since middle school. We both grew up in Oregon. While growing up, I considered Laura's mom (Linda) my 'second mom' because I was always at Laura's house, and Linda always treated me like I was one of her own! Laura also has a younger sister (Nerissa). Nerissa and I used to go to private, Christian school together, and were in the same grade. Laura, however is a few years older than me.

In 1997 Laura and I went on a missions trip to Wales. We ended up going back there after the missions trip to attend Bible College. I stayed one year, and Laura stayed 2!
Soon after coming back from Wales, I joined the Army. I served 5 years active duty and during this time, I met and married my husband of 8 years, Troy!

Laura returned from Bible college and I was living out of state serving in the Army. Laura moved to Tennessee, because that is where God was calling her to serve.
While living in Tennessee, Laura met Andy. They fell in love and were married.
Laura gave birth to Coen, her first son in August 2006. I can remember how happy I was for her when she told me she was expecting. I also couldn't help but feel a bit sad. You see, at this time, I believed I could not have children (little did I know that God had other plans)!

Shortly after Laura had Coen, Troy (who is currently serving in the Army) and I were reassigned to Maryland. So we packed up our two cats, one dog and a fish, and drove from Oklahoma to Maryland.
On the way to Maryland we stopped in Tennessee and I met Coen. He was such a stinkin' cute baby!
I was so happy for her and her little family.

Shortly after arriving in Maryland, I found I was pregnant with my first son, Aaron.
I was filled with joy! God was faithful indeed!

In February of 2010 Coen was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)!
When Laura told me, I was heartbroken. The news shot through me like an arrow through my heart. Part of the reason for that was the simple fact that her and I grew up together, and that Coen and Aaron were so close in age.
When you are young and carefree, you feel so indestructible, invincible. Then you grow up, get married, have kids and the responsibility creeps in. I regard my family as the most precious things to me in this universe!
When something happens to one of your children, its like your world crumbles around you.
But wait a minute here, even though I feel this is my story as much as it is Laura's, I will let her tell it to you in her own words!
Let me introduce you to my dear friend Laura and her precious family:

Left to right, Coen, Andy, Laura, and Rylee

Here is Laura's story, in her own words:
"Caring for Coen… A family’s journey with an autistic child.
This is the story of my family (me, Laura), my husband Andy, our 4 year old son Coen, and of course Rylee our 2 year old daughter. This is the story of how the diagnosis of “Autism” changed our lives forever. When Coen had just turned 2-1/2 yrs old, we noticed that his speech seemed a bit delayed. Coen being our first child, we really had no idea at what rate a typical 2 year old should develop. At a ‘routine’ appointment, Coen’s pediatrician suggested we have him tested for speech delays. In the midst of the testing, several other tests were done to rule out other possibilities. 

In February of 2010, our son Coen (at the age of 3) was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder.
That has been a year and a half ago. I have walked this road for some time now and have come to realize, while a common thread exists among parents of autistic children, each has had a different path to find. Even as the number of cases continues to rise, there still seems to be no clear cut solution to indicate what a family must do when faced with such challenges. We made a decision to find Coen the help that he needed; regardless of where that would take us. Because we lived in the country, the resources that Coen needed were not readily available. The closest place that I found that could take Coen right away was 2-1/2 hours away. There were a few that were a little closer but there was lengthy waiting lists for most of the places and then they could only see him for 1-2 hours a week. I knew we just couldn’t wait any longer and I was certainly not going to settle for 2 hours when I knew he needed as many as he could stand. I left out on Mondays with the kids and returned on Thursdays, only to work for two days, see Andy and then do it all again the following week. We had to stay in a hotel during the week because we still had a house in West Tennessee. It was only after one year of travelling back and forth that we were able to rent a home closer to Coen’s therapy center. After many miles and many nights in a hotel, my son has made progress and my daughter is now a well seasoned traveller.

Coen has been in intensive therapy in Nashville, Tennessee, for over a year and a half. His progress has been remarkable, but he still has a long way to go. CoenCoen will be enrolled in a pre- k class consisting of typical and special needs children. While school will become a new addition to his busy schedule, he will continue to have several hours of therapy per week. This will help Coen learn to function in everyday situations.

Studies have shown that early intervention can result in a better chance for these children to live productive lives. Funding varies from state to state and in most cases has to be paid out of pocket for those seeking effective therapy. Doctors suggest at least 20 hours of therapy per week but the reality is that many families can only afford a fraction of that. The financial burden can be overwhelming for those parents who choose aggressive treatment options. For our family, many sacrifices have been made, but the reward has been seeing Coen slowly put things together piece by piece.
With the necessary support and guidance, Coen will be able to have a happy future. Until a breakthrough happens in the research of this disorder, families must rely on the support of those who are able to lock arms in the fight for the minds of these precious children.
Thank you for taking the time to read my story and for your prayers and support for our family!"

How many of you have been directly effected by Autism? Maybe you have a child that is autistic, a niece, nephew or brother? Autism is a very challenging disorder. I know that by entering in an on-line raffle, we are not going to find a cure, but I do believe that if we all pull together, we can help out this one family facing financial crisis. We can help provide Coen with the future he so richly deserves!

By participating in the upcoming on-line raffle #caringforcoen (beginning in August), you will be helping to relieve the financial burden this family is currently facing!
100% of the proceeds will go directly to Laura and her family!

Thank you all for following my blog!

~Mama of the Littles~

Caring for Coen! On-line raffle sponsor spotlights!!

Awhile back I briefly told you all about an online raffle that I was planning to help out a dear friend in need. My best friend (from middle school) Laura's son Coen who was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder back in 2010. Since his diagnosis, the family has been sacrificing in order to get the therapy Coen needs.
*More information about Laura, and her family will be posted this weekend, so stay tuned. You don't want to miss the story of her incredible journey!

Right now I would like to tell you all a bit more about the raffle I am planning, and to give you a little sneak peek of the great prizes up for grabs!
I am going to be offering some great prizes (and a few prize packs) for you to win.
Raffle tickets will be sold for $1.00 a piece. Each ticket is worth one entry. $1.00=1 entry to be used towards one item up for grabs!
I will have separate posts of each item offered. You simply use your tickets as comments on the post of the item you wish to win.
For instance, I am going to be offering a Fuzzi Bunz one size diaper in Mac N' Cheese. Let's say that you want to purchase 5 tickets ($5.00) towards winning that diaper. You would send your $5.00 paypal payment to (Laura, the e-mail address will be posted with each raffle item). You would then comment under the Fuzzi Bunz diaper like so:
1st comment: "Ticket #1 including my e-mail (and my paypal e-mail if it is different)"
2nd comment: "Ticket #2 including my e-mail (and my paypal e-mail if it is different)"
3rd comment: "Ticket #3 including my e-mail (and my paypal e-mail if it is different)"
4th comment: "Ticket #4 including my e-mail (and my paypal e-mail if it is different)"
5th comment: "Ticket #5 including my e-mail (and my paypal e-mail if it is different)"
Does this make sense?
Please note that your name and e-mail address must be posted. If your e-mail address for paypal is different than the one you wish to use to be notified (if you are a winner) you must leave both! I will have to verify payment through paypal that the payment was made.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at angela_heffner at yahoo dot com
There will be a few mandatory requirements for entering. You must follow my blog publicly via Google Friend Connect (right sidebar) Additional mandatory requirements will be to follow the sponsors of certain items on Twitter and/or Facebook. Each mandatory entry will be posted with the item up for grabs! Also when entering be sure to double check that the item you are trying to win can be shipped to where you live. Some of the items for raffle will be open to US and Canada, but other are only open to either one or the other!
Now, on to the fun stuff!
I wanted to give you a sneek peek of some of the great items I have line up for you to win. So far, the prizes equal over $500.00!
Here are some of our fabulous sponsors (so far):

Who's excited?
I am still receiving e-mails from Companies wanting to participate, so keep your eyes out for another post announcing our great sponsors!
If you would like to sponsor something for this raffle, please contact me at angela_heffner at yahoo dot com

I plan to 'introduce' you to Laura and her family this weekend by posting her bio on the blog.
So make yourself a nice cuppa tea and come back this weekend to 'meet' Laura and her family, the inspiration behind this raffle!

~Mama of the Littles~