Bang Bang Bang Bang Bang Bang Bang

This is the sound of me (and Sal's teacher and aide) beating our heads against the wall!!! Team meeting today with SE Admin (tech support). Sally has her computer. Sally has the software they've ordered for her computer - and has had for about 6 weeks. The install would take about 2 minutes and anyone at that table today has the know how to do it --- BUT they can't. We need the code from the tech. division and they're so backed up making sure we all have the correct number of license and whatever - that it was said at the meeting there are some kids waiting for software installation from LAST year!!! I was NOT even close to smiling when I heard this!!! DANG! The hoops both my teacher and aide (and team leader) have jumped through is unbelievable!!!! What was really interesting is that Sal's teacher did most of the growling at admin - she stole my thunder!!!! :-)

I understand this is the process - it's just hard to sit and wait when it's your kid. It's all SOOOOO crazy sometimes!!!!

I love my teacher and aide!!!! If you've ever felt the public school system was full of people who just don't give a damn - well, you better visit 5th Grade at JES! :-)

On a lighter note - Sal is reading at a 2nd grade level. She's still pulling the "don't read what you don't know" thing. Gotta watch that girl. :-)

He's MY Boy

Jack got up this morning and wanted to watch "Smack Down" (wrestling) . As Sal and I were getting snack and ourselves ready I could hear him yelling in the living room. As I came into the room I could see he was close to tears. He was upset because his guy was getting beat!!!! Memories of myself sitting on the floor of my sister's house bawling because Bulldog Bob Brown was getting beat came flooding into my mind. I can already see I'm raising a champion to the underdog. I LOVE that! :-)

We fed "my starving children" this weekend. It was really a LOT of fun! We ended up making enough meals to feed 36 kids for a year! What a cool way to spend an afternoon. Jack really had a fun time. At one point he even said "I wish Sally was here." :-)

Sally was at Social Club and they were trick-or-treating. :-) She had a GREAT time. Came home with a painted pumpkin and a huge smile on her face.

We saw Sal's presentation on Germany on Monday. She was just like a deer in the headlights. Dianna helped her out and read most of the project. I rec'd a note today that asked if I could make something German (food) for Sal to bring in on Friday. Ughgh. :-)

We had Young Young's birthday celebration last night. That was a good time. The kids love going to the golf course.

Jack is STILL on a white card streak. I'm getting a little worried about what's going to happen the day he doesn't. I'm really proud of his behavior lately.

CRAZY Birthday WEEKS

Ok - another birthday party last night! It's CRAZY - But FUN!!! :-) They sang to me at the Square ON my Birthday - they sang on the day after and then again last night! It's never ending! I got the FUNNIEST card from Karen - too cute. And the one from my sister sang - which was/is SO cool!!! It's been a really fun October - but all too soon it's coming to an end and it's getting cold. :-/ I'm home today - some issues that are just TOO much to handle right now.

I went to my Parent Resource meeting on Monday. Very interesting - not good - not bad - interesting. I'm SO very different from a lot of Special Needs parents. I'm not sure if that's good or bad.

Sally's project on Germany was due today - I hope *we* get a good grade. :-) I have to admit it was interesting to find out a lot of things. You know me and geography - not good - so this helped me a lot. :-)

Sal had a really hard time last night. It was too loud for her and she tolerated it for as long as she could and then she started to show the 'signs'. We got out of there VERY shortly after that. She's trying.

Mabel - oh Mabel. She's doing somewhat better. She'll get into her cage in the morning for a dog treat. If only she'd use her power for good instead of evil. :-) She's tall enough now to get her nose on the counter top - so everything must be pushed back. We also now have a basket that we put things in at the end of the evening that cannot stay out because of the mad chewer. ;-)

Sadie's hanging in there - really plays well with Mabel - even when Mabel gets too rough. Jack is still in live with Mabe and her in love with him. They wrestle constantly and Mabel howls when he goes outside and leaves her in. :-)

Sally is more into telling Mabel what she should and shouldn't do. Last night Mabel got up ON Sal's desk and was knocking over and chewing Little People - my God - the dog has a DEATH wish! Even the beloved Rexie gets *told* when she's up on the desk and she's able to walk around without disturbing People. I noticed Sally now won't even let Mabel in the room when she's in there and closes the door as soon as she leaves. ;-) It's too funny.

Happy Birthday To ME!!!

Had such a nice birthday! 7a.m. I woke up to Bill and Sal at my bed with balloons and really cool balloons: 2 jack-o-lanterns, a tinerbell and the best - CHICAGO BEARS ! ;-)



I got up and Bill had made coffee and there was Lemon Poppyseed muffins and coffee cake! ;-) We sat around and read the paper - I did my football picks - and emailed them.........

Sometimes My House is TOO Funny!

Today I gave Sade a chewy and one to Mabel too. Mabel promptly bolted to my bedroom so I followed her. She went to Bill's side and in the corner by his night stand she dug. Ok - we do have carpet but she just raked it - there was nothing coming up. She dug, dug, dug and then gingerly placed her chewy in the middle of the "dug" place. She then used her nose and made movements like she was raking the dirt from the "hole" back into the hole!!!!!! It was hysterical! She did this over and over till all the "dirt" was packed into the "hole". She is WAY too GOOFY!!!! Then she proceeded to go back out to the living room, sit about 6 inches from Sadie and howl (so Sadie would give her Sadie's chewy). Little does Mabel know that Sadie is pretty hard of hearing so that howling didn't bother her a bit. Lord, I live in the Loony Bin!

Another really WILD thing happened: Sally and I were sitting on the couch and I said to her that we needed to start her Immigration Project and that our relatives came from Germany. We would need to call Grandma about how to say Hello and Good-bye. (questions on her project worksheet). After saying this I THOUGHT - THOUGHT - inside my head - NOT speaking - about a book that my mother had given me BEFORE Sal was born about a Bear (Teddy) who speaks German and in the book he tells you German words and English words. Thought this - get it - didn't speak - thought.

Sally turned to me and said "we gonna get the Bear book and use it on my project?" OMG!!!! This is WAY too wild! After we looked in her books and mine in the dining room - I discovered the book in MY room - she hadn't even seen it for at LEAST 3 years if ever. Stuff like that makes me really believe in the Yuen method and what I'm reading in the "Autism and the God Link" book.

I filled out my football picks today. I'm number 2 thanks to last week!!!! (I was number 1) The Public Works guys are none too happy and ask Bill what my secret is to how I pick. I will never tell. :-) One thing I do is ALWAYS pick Chicago and NEVER pick Green Bay and then assign them numbers to how sure I feel that prediction is. :-)

Since it's my birthday tomorrow - I think I should get ALL the games this week!!!! :-) Or at least the ones on Sunday. :-) Seems only fair.

Jenny McCarthy interviewed:

Jenny McCarthy:

On Dennis Leary's statements about autism: "It's so hard to even get up enough juice in me or energy in me to even try to fight someone that is obviously stupid. This community has been through so much and to compare and use the word 'dumb-a** lazy' with autism, it's just not fair. Mind you, I have not read his chapter. He says he has been misunderstood. My fight isn't with Denis Leary, my fight is with the government - a bigger fish to fry."


Kelly:

On Jenny McCarthy :"It's so hard to even get up enough juice in me or energy in me to even try and fight someone that is obviously stupid."




I HATE this woman - she is SO making autism a joke. And making a deal with God????? Who is she kidding? At least Dennis Leary has never pretended to be anyone he isn't. I do believe it's him that even sings the "I'm an asshole" song. Jenny, on the other hand, does and says whatever it takes to sell a book, whether it be Playboy or a "novel".

It's sad that her little boy has to be part of that sale.

BEYOND SAD!!!!!

Royalties, in Camp Point is closing!!!!! 59 years! Can you believe that? Royalties was the store you went to for your Easter Dress, or good clothes, and sports stuff. I got my Letterman's' Jacket there - got my cheer leading shoes there, got my PE uniform there not to mention that's where my Dad got ALL the presents for my Mom. I read about it in the New Era and almost threw up. I find it just SO sad when things like that change. It's kind of how I felt when Dr Wilk moved away. Sad, sad, sad..........

Da Bear's In The House

Staley is here!!!!! My guys were SO excited this morning!!! Staley and #97 - Marcus - someone. I didn't recognize his name. (sorry Marcus) Jack especially, was excited to go to school this morning. I think he misses his friends over the weekends. Even though he did have a sleep over with Tommy on Sat night.



Giants lost last night and now I'm no longer #1 in the football pool!!!!!! That SUCKS!!! Stupid Eli Manning. Between that, the Bears, and Arizona pulling it out of their behinds - ugghhh.

Yesterday was Thanksgiving in Canada. Sally wrote in about it. I'd really like it if we could have our Thanksgiving now. The weather would be nicer - we could all play outside for sure at Aunt Jills and you wouldn't have 2 big meals with in a month of each other. I'm all about changing holidays - like maybe not even having Christmas??? :-) Or at least do it in the summer.

It's all up in the stores now. I realized the other day - I even hate the color combo of Christmas.
Barf. I'm just SO not looking forward to it. Why can't we have fall for more months and just a little tiny winter???? :-)

Have you?

Have you ever known secrets about people who think they are SOOOO cool and SOOO better than you? You look at them with that little "if you only knew that I know SO much about you". And you almost feel sorry for them. Their lives are such lies and they try SO hard to make people around them believe the lie. It must be exhausting.

I would NEVER in a million years tell them the secrets I know - because honestly, it would probably crush their little world - but I have to laugh inside when I see them trying to look like "the sheet". :-)

But it is sad. We probably all do that to an extent. We all put on aires, but some people are more into it than others. I've always been pretty honest about who I am - probably a little too honest - or so I've been told. :-) But to me it's just WAY TOO much work to pretend to be anyone else. Which, as it turns out - is probably a good thing.

You can't hide or pretend Special Needs away. Autism - though a child may *look* normal - it rears it's head in social ways that you just cannot hide. So that has NEVER bothered me. I've never felt embarrassed of my Sally. I hope she says the same of me. :-)

Sally is able more and more to hold a conversation. Bill came in tonight and started complaining about the house smelling like dog. Sally said "I smell pizza, with my nose". :-)
"What do you smell with your nose, Mom?" She's a stitch, that one.

For All You Doubters and Mockers -

WE DID IT!!!!! 5p.m. to 7 a.m.!!! One trip to Mc Donalds - one break for pizza, 2 sweet teas and 26 pages later - we were truckstering through the dawn home. :-) We had a BLAST!!! I laughed so hard there was a couple of times I thought I just might pee my pants (thanks to the tea).

Kiki was there and Annette and family. And then there's Jackie -what can you say about Jackie. She makes me tired! WAY too perky and not the nice kind of perky.

I returned home to find everyone present and accounted for - even the 4 legged members. I hit the kitchen table, had a cup of coffee, showed my wares, heard the tales of what happened when I was gone, joined Sally in my bed to watch cartoons and was out in about 10 minutes.

I awoke to quiet. Strangely quiet. I figured they weren't home from baseball yet. But as I went to my bedroom door, I observed Jack's baseball uniform strewn exactly where he had taken it off - in the hallway. So they weren't at the game. And where was Mabel? Sadie was asleep on the couch and as I discovered - Mabel was outside on her chain. What a WONDERFUL day - waking up with NO ONE around to BUG you!!!! Again, a cup of coffee and off to watch Dirty Sexy Money, which I had DVR'd. Too good to be true - I was about 1/3 into it and in through the door came a screaming "Hi MOM!!!!" Yes, they were home. Oh, my how I missed them.
;-)

Oh Good Lord!!!! Say Goodbye to ANY Funding for Autistic Adults!

Major Court Rules That Parents of Children with Autism May Sue Vaccine Makers
Wednesday October 8, 2008
According to an article in Law.com, one major court has ruled that parents of an autistic child may sue vaccine makers based on the theory that thimerosal (a mercury preservative) in vaccines caused their child's autism. Earlier, similar cases in New York and Pennsylvania were denied by courts in those states.
This is a potentially explosive decision.
Until now, vaccine-makers were protected from civil suits under the federal National Childhood Vaccine Injury Compensation Act of 1986. That act, which exempted vaccine-makers from liability in the case of "unavoidable" vaccine injury, also created the no-fault Vaccine Court. Thousands of families with autistic children are now in the process of claiming vaccine damage through that court.
In this case, however, the court found that the alleged vaccine injury was NOT unavoidable, because "In their suit, the Ferraris [the family filing suit] claim that the drug's design, specifically the use of thimerosal as a preservative, was flawed and that its alleged side effects could have been avoided had another preservative been used."
Here's how the article describes the decision:
The Supreme Court of Georgia on Monday upheld a state appeals court ruling that could open the door to product liability claims against vaccine manufacturers by the parents of autistic children.
Justice George H. Carley wrote for a unanimous court that a Fulton County suit against manufacturers filed by the parents of an autistic child may to go to trial. The justices rejected what Carley described as a "far-reaching interpretation" of a federal vaccine statute that defendant vaccine manufacturers argued gave them sweeping immunity from liability.
Carley suggested that the U.S. Supreme Court may be asked to consider the question. Of course, the question of whether the Ferrari's MAY file suit is bound to be separate from the question of whether they will win. At this point in history, a link between thimerosal and autism has grown increasingly tenuous. While it is clear that thimerosal itself is a toxic substance, there is very little evidence to suggest that it is the direct cause of huge rise in autism diagnoses.

We've had to Bail one of them Out!

No, not a child - a dog - and no, not the dog you would *think*. Sunday morning it became apparent that Sadie was no where to be found. We put in a call to the "authorities" and sure enough - she had spent the night in doggie jail. :-) Poor little Tader bug. They picked her up on Falconridge - she probably just got turned around. It's hell to get old.

Friday, Saturday and Sunday consisted of running after Mabel. Seriously. She has now gotten to where it's a big game to see if she can get past you as you try to put her on the chain to go outside. Not to mention Sally and her ability to leave a door open. :-)

Rexie has been out as usual - only to her amazement Mr Chad acquired another greyhound and between the two of them they had run her down and with her in their mouths, presented their trophy to Mr Chad. :-)

So everyone is instructed that under NO circumstances are they to open a door. No one is to go in or out! :-) What a crazy household we live in. Sometimes I look back and wonder just what moment it was that I lost what little mind I had left. :-)

Jack did well at his game on Saturday and what a nice day for it. *He* doesn't think he's good - but he is - I keep telling him that he's playing with 13 and 14 year olds and he's holding his
own! That's pretty good for a 7 year old.

Market Day on Monday which is always exciting and then on to see the Sox loose at the golf course. Unhappy - I am not! :-)

Sally has been asked to join the JBSRA basketball league. *This* should be VERY interesting!
:-) She's into it only because I happened to mention that she would get a uniform. You know Sal - she's all into the dress. ;-)

Sal was also excited to see that on Monday I had put out all of her fall and winter clothes - but was upset that her summer tee-shirts were gone. Wait till next week when I take her sandals while she's at school. :-) She gets into a rut and that's it - there's no changing her sometimes.

She is all about her homework lately - I really cramp her style when I try to check it. She's SO independent in that aspect - but still can't put on socks or a shirt. Go figure.

Sigh

We're ALL home - we're ALL accounted for. Little Mabel (*darling* that she is) decided to scale the fence this afternoon and follow some Jr High kids home from school. :-/ Since it's Thursday and we have both bowling AND ball practice it didn't leave a lot of time to go "hunting" for my little book eater. (You know the saying - buy them books and buy them books and all they do is eat the covers - well, with Mabel it is true - 4 books so far) :-/ Soooooo - after dropping Sal off, and getting Jack to practice I went searching - on foot. I figured for sure that Mabel would be around the pond or the park. No such luck.

Bill picked Sal up and came over to the ball field and then Sal and I went looking in the car. No luck. In the mean time Bill called Animal Control and the Police. When Sal and I got home we had a message from PD that a lady had Mabel and we could pick her up. She was over on White Oak.

Guess who's asleep already? It's tiring to be such a naughty little girl. Rexie and Sadie didn't look *that* happy when Mabe came bouncing through the door. "Oh Great, she's home". :-)

No school tomorrow so Jack asked if he could "sleep over" <---- his exact words in Sal's room. She sleeps on the floor and he takes her bed! Just a glimpse of things to come - I'm sure. :-)

Sally is on the School District's website. Check her out:

http://www.vvsd.org/default.php

It just may be the only picture I get of her in the parade. (Sucky, sucky parade)