Good Lord, Charlie Brown - it's Halloween

Dang - it was a busy one this a.m. At 5:30 I was awakened by S saying "it's all over - October is all over" Then about 20 minutes later I hear "we trick o treat tonight". Then I see J going to the bathroom and when he's done I see him pick up his black bag (present) and head back to bed. So we start the day early today - and do you think that made for less rush??? Heck NO! So we get S off to school (after discovering that no, we haven't found the lost library book AND we've ripped another one). Then I head in, do up some dishes and head out to the store to buy candy, cookies (which have to go to kindergarten today), and all the fixings for Halloween dinner.

We go to swimming lessons after that - to find out that Ms Diane is no longer J's teacher - there were some tense moments - but he agreed to stick it out. So after the lesson I asked him if he wanted to remain at 10:30 class or go back and of course he wants to stay (probably because I had already switched him back) so we tell them yes, we're staying in the 10:30 class and I leave, praying that all those switches do not get screwed up.

By the time we get home - we're really pushing it. We rip open the cookies - shove them into the oven, run around and get dressed for work and school and shove the cookies (still warm) into a shoe box. (which J found VERY funny). Wrote Ms Conway an apologetic note and head for school and work.

When I got here I literally sighed. So now I hang out till 4:30 when I will then fetch the children and carve pumpkins, get them dressed, clean up the kitchen (I'm not kidding when I say I took the cookies from the oven to the shoe box) and then answer the door (and corral Sade) all night long.

S has decided that just like last year, Mr Chad should come over and eat and hang out with us. She's also decided that Sunday is Thanksgiving. ;-)

A long Dang Week!!!

Goodness, it's just flying right by again. Wed was S's monthly team meeting. A great meeting. She is really knocking it out of the park, still. She's reading words more and more, she can locate water and land on the map (and north), she's handing back graded papers with no help, takes the lunch money to the office, and less outbursts. It's the aides opinion that she doesn't need meds. Her therapist at group agrees. They feel the outbursts are controllable and they feel that they happen when S needs attention, is frustrated, or bored. So now, how do I combat them. Ahh, grasshopper never thought of that - huh. :-)

Thurs was swimming lessons - no crying from J and he has swam over 25 yards by himself!!!! (with noodle of course - he's only 5). He's doing VERY well. He's also decided that "Sarah is a very nice name, don't' you think?" I find out that Sarah is in his swimming class. :-) Ahhh haaa.

I rec'd my Dr's birthday present yesterday. My first mamogram. Isn't he thoughtful? It wasn't as bad as I expected. But they aren't kidding when they use the word "squish". Yow! But doesn't last but a second.

And to round up the festivities - Halloween Party at school last night. It was GREAT!!! The kids had so much fun. I just can't say enough good things about my school. It is so much like a family there. It was the Principal's 50th birthday yesterday and where did she spend it ?? At school - putting on tattoos. :-) (she'll have something to fall back on if this teacher stuff doesn't work out) :-) That says a lot. They really do make the kids the priority. And all the volunteers. It really is a nice evening for the kids. J wore his Superman costume - which I have to say is kind of hysterical when he wears his mask but S didn't want to wear hers. She wore her shirt that says "I don't do tricks, just give me the candy". She was heck-bent to win a cake in the cake walk. No such luck - but she had a ball trying.

So today they're at daycare - I have the BEST daycare person. She takes the kids whenever I need AND the other day she let J just stay and play. A whole morning to myself after my team meeting!!! Gotta LOVE that!!!

Here's the kicker - I still don't have payroll here. :-( So I've just spent 2 hours here at work for nothing. :-( Ugghh.

It really IS a Happy Birthday!!!!

For something I was really wishing would come and go unnoticed - I've had a very nice birthday. I was SO down yesterday - just really dreading it. Feeling like a real jerk. Where had my "youth" gone??? I have never felt this way before - with 3 MUCH (God, I hope they're reading this) ;-) older siblings - age has never gotten to me - I was always looking FORWARD to growing "up". But this birthday has kind of punched me in the gut. I feel like I've been marking time the last 10 years - like I've not accomplished anything. But as I look back I see I HAVE accomplished a LOT. I am the wife of B - for now almost 16 years - THAT's something - esp if you *know* B. :-) I have given birth to 2 VERY rambunctious children. I have become an advocate, expert in the world of Special Needs, a speech therapist, O.T., and psychologist. No, I don't have the degrees - I have the war stripes. I have made a home that is compliant to help a daughter with special needs succeed in her role of child right now. I have pushed my son when he needed it and laid back when he needed that. I have listened to him and had to explain that forever he would never be "normal". I have returned to the work force. I HAVE done a LOT. Just nothing that really makes the news. And you know, that's a GOOD thing. I had to think today - as I read about Tim Schuster. He made the papers - because he was murdered. I guess it's not so bad being "unknown". :-) And there's still time to win a Nobel Prize. Most of those people are in their 50s aren't they?? :-)

Where DOES time go??

We're having good things from the "group" on Thursdays. S is learning yoga and different ways to "help" her stay calm or to stop moving.

J went on a field trip on Friday - which meant he went at 9 am and I went to work for 2.5 hours. Tell me how ANYTHING gets done with 24 kids and 2.5 hours. I was hard pressed to get one payroll and 5 sales tax forms done - and I was in a nice, quiet office - no boss so no phone calls. My hat is off to kindergarten teachers!!

J had a GREAT time! Came home with a pumpkin. After picking him up - we went to get Daddy and then to the golf course for lunch. HUGE rush for J - they have "games". :-) Then back to my office (where he played tic-tac-toe and drank enough water (from the water cooler) to drown a camel) so I could check the mail - then home where we watched movies in my room all afternoon.

They had the Fall Fest for Church this weekend. S had a wonderful time. Got her hands painted and made crafts. Then on Sunday J had choir so S got to go fishing with Daddy all by herself. It worked out really nice.

Saturday I stayed home from the fest and cleaned - moved the couch - then had to WAIT while Sadie ate her weight in crap that was behind and underneath. ugghh . There was stuff back there I don't even remember having!! So *we* had a talk about eating in the living room.

J loved choir and they said he did very well. I was a little concerned because he has some "buddies" in there and I know how they are when they get together. So I read him the riot act before he went in and crossed my fingers. :-)

We ordered the DVD of the "Superbowl Shuffle" and it's *supposed* to be there today. Game tonight - GO BEARS!!!!!

Somewhat of a productive weekend.

Uggh - thank God it's Monday. I have the worst headaches lately. It's nice to be somewhere where you can control the noise. :-)

J spent the weekend playing "talkie walkie" and in general being a pain in the butt. S was presented with a bible at church yesterday. She did VERY well standing up there and said thank you when Pastor gave it to her.

As I was reading the paper yesterday, J curled up with me and when I got to the sports page - there was the 1995 Bears - he was enthralled. SO, I went downstairs and found the "Superbowl Shuffle" for him. He is more interested in the music than the actual sport. Between that and "Bear Down, Chicago Bears" it was a *musical* Sunday. :-)

They want to keep me

Like usual I volunteered in J's room yesterday and was told that they are phasing the Mom helpers out - BUT would it be ok if I still came - because she could really use me. I took this as a great compliment - but also was a little sad that I will never get an afternoon to myself. Oh well. I really do love helping - I like working with all the kids. It's really the best of both the daycare and the work world. So Thursdays remain crazy. After getting S on the bus I take J to swimming lessons then to lunch then to school and after school I take S to group.

Swimming - well, there's more tears. Basically because they swim the length of the pool 4 times. I had to really push to get him in there yesterday. He's ok once he's done with the lap. ugghh - that's one of the hardest parts of being a mom - knowing when to push and when to back off.

Group - going very well. She's doing yoga. She really likes it and has asked if we can do it at home. I"m thinking the morning would be a great time - before breakfast. They're teaching her to squeeze when she needs to be quiet and can't quite get her body to cooperate. I'm still looking for a neurologist, neuro-psychiatrist AND now a eye Dr that specializes in spec needs. Does it ever end????

BBQ has been moved to J's room and so far so good. They deserve each other - the little heathens. S was VERY concerned yesterday when she discovered BBQ's bowl missing. J is even feeding the dreaded pahrana and doing quite a nice job.

Cough, spit , cry

First day in level 3 and J cried after swimming the entire length of the pool - BUT - he stayed AND he continued with the lesson!!! He went on to swim the length 3 more times!!!!! I told him I was SO proud of him. He's so funny. I thought for sure we were done with the first tears.

Personally, I think that's a LONG way to swim for someone that young - but hey , they all did it and he's getting it. I promised him it would get easier. I'm wondering if we should make a trip to the pool this weekend and him and I can swim laps together.

HUGE meltdown this morning with S. The shoes I got for her are too small - I don't know what I was looking at them when I bought them so it's gym day and she doesn't have her gym shoes on. J and I went to Wal-mart and returned them after swimming.

Ran into M. She looks so good. She is so funny. I can't get over how big N is. Him and J exchanged 5s. It was cute. She can't wait to go back to work . She's going to school next year since N will be part time. Never got to ask what she'll be studying. You know how it is with kids in tow and racing the clock.

My CS Lewis class is so fantastic! The book is really good and I'm so glad there's people to talk about it and discuss the meaning of things. I can't wait for the next course. I also want to read some more Lewis stuff. :-)

Gotta work on a reg bedtime and waking time. I was zoned this morning. Didn't even hear B leave which is very unusual for me. S and I are the light sleepers in the family. :-) She was up bright and early - always with the door - until she wakes J up and then they both come in and want to watch cartoons in my room. I think that's my most favorite time. Having them both there - all snuggled up and not fighting. But all too soon it ends and we have to get up because they're *starving*!!!! :-)

Love, Love LOVE Mondays

I get to work early - read through my email without anyone annoying me. I get to read through all the news - check up on the Oct list. All while enjoying a REAL cup of coffee. Ahhhh.

So we got through clothes shopping with Miss "I know what I want". We got several pair of boy's jeans - fit her the best and cost the least.

EXCELLENT Bears Game last night!!! We're now the only NFL team that is undefeated. Love it!!! And yes, I did get through MOST of the laundry. I quit at kick off - there's no need in making yourself suffer. :-)

We played with the "talkie walkies" all weekend. J actually had conversations with other children on the channels. At one point he asked someone named JR if he was a real friend or a imaginary friend. :-) He is HYSTERICAL to listen to.

It really is a zoo

We (Daddy) brought home 10 new fish to share residence with Bar-b-que. One of them is a HUGE goldfish/rock sucker. BBQ - thought they were food (the little ones) and began to puff out his gills and fins and chase everyone - including the goldfish who is much bigger than him. SO he was sent to solitary. So instead of having this one nice aquarium for BBQ we now have to find separate quarters for him and leave the aquarium for the sedate population.

Seems we have little 'exhibits' all over the 'grounds'. Sadie has taken a less attentive approach to the back yard and the squirrels have decided that they can come out and play more often, there someone living under the front deck - I would say ground squirrel - because Sadie is always trying to dig through the decking by the stairs, and we've recently been visited by a cat in the garage - which we are not deterring in the hopes of he/she will keep the mice at bay.

And then we have the Monkey Exhibit. Oh, THEY were a handful yesterday. We went garage sailing and then to the store and got all kinds of clothes. We picked out jeans and unDEwear and socks and shoes and of course, fruit snacks.

In one of conversations yesterday S told me "If I call you Ms S and Ms G that would be SO funny". I was floored. She's starting to "get" humor?? She never stops amazing me.

It was so interesting to both of them this morning that BBQ was in a "time out" for life. :-) In a weak moment I've actually thought about getting a bowl and putting him in J's room. We'll see.

The Oct list has been reminiscing lately about our meeting and the fact that we've been together for 10 years! It's amazing the things I've learned from people I don't even know and the closeness I feel to them. We are an EXTREMELY diverse group and because of that - pretty liberal. (some more than others) I would LOVE to meet some of them.

I'm attempting to do ALL laundry today AND put the house in order. I know, you ask - where will the Monkeys be when you clean the cage? We'll send them to play with the neighbor's monkeys. :-)