For everyone else

Volume Geeks and Trouble sleeps ;). These are prehaircut, but I thought that you might enjoy seeing how much our children are like us. I adore the chair trouble is in and that is SO Master pose for Volume ;)

Maven Asked...

For photos of the boys new haircut, so here ya go, my canadian chikka. Volume, then Trouble.

Eating at the table none the less ;)

One of THOSE days

Everyone has em. Those days where you just wanna crawl into a hole and tell the world to go away? One of those days where your kids cannot do anything right, your husbands every word grates on your nerve and your best friend calls at the wrong time? One of those days where your headache starts from the moment you get up and you get stuck in traffic AND they are out of your favorite coffee? Today, thankfully, is NOT one of THOSE days.

Today is a day just like any other, but like any other day, its filled with small aspects of THOSE days. I was just thinking "what is it that makes a horrid day?". I think its when you stack those little annoyances back to back and pack them into a nice 12 hour period. You too can be crapped on by your spouse, pestered by your children, receive a crying phone call from your mother AND get ganked by horde in WoW all in ONE WHOLE DAY!!! Sign up now and we're offering a free back-stabbing friend for the first month.

Seriously...My days, I'm sure like your own, are just nice times spaced between some not so nice times. It's an everyday. Nothing totally horrid happened, nothing spectacular either. Its the time between the moments that makes us long for the "moments". We go on breathing, living and growing. Most importantly, we move forward. For backwards gets you hitting hard objects. Take this from someone who knows.

Current Mood : Deep ;)
Current Song: James Blunt - Tears and Rain

Welcome to Holland

I found this story going through my ASD stuff and thought it really explains things well, so I thought I would post it.

Welcome to Holland By Emily Perl Kingsley

I am often asked to describe the experience of raising a child with a disability - to help people who have not shared this unique experience, to understand it, to imagine how it would feel.

It's like this.

When your going to have a baby, its like planning a fabulous vacation - to Italy. You buy a bunch of guidebooks and make wonderful plans. The coliseum. Michelangelo's David. The Gondolas in Venice. You may even learn some handy phrases in Italian. It's all very exciting.

After months of eager anticipation, the day finally arrives. You pack your bags and off you go. Several hours later, the plane lands. The stewardess comes in and says "Welcome to Holland." "Holland?!?" you say. "What do you mean Holland?? I signed up for Italy! I'm supposed to be in Italy. All my life I've dreamed of going to Italy!"

But there's been a change in the flight plan. They've landed in Holland and there you must stay. The important thing is they haven't taken you to a horrible, disgusting, filthy place, full of pestilence, famine and disease. It's just a different place.

So you must go out and buy new guide books. And you must learn a whole new language. And you will meet a whole new group of people you would have never met. It's just a different place. Its slower paced than Italy, less flashy than Italy. But after you've been there for a while and you catch your breath, you look around. And you begin to notice that Holland has windmills. And Holland has Tulips. Holland even has Rembrandt's.

But everyone you know is busy coming and going from Italy. And they're all bragging about what a wonderful time they had there.

And for the rest of your life, you will say, "Yes, that's where I was supposed to go. That's what I had planned."

And the pain will never, ever go away. Because the loss of that dream is a very, very significant loss. But if you spend your life mourning the fact that you didn't get to go to Italy, you may never be free to enjoy the very special, the very lovely things about Holland.

Firsts

So Trouble got invited to his first birthday party. The invitation came in the mail addressed to him. The Master and I were so excited and when we opened it, there was no name, date or time. Just a Run, Jump-N-Play invite. I sent a letter to school and in a few days they pegged down which kid was having a party. I called his mom and found out the date and time. Its today at one. We were so excited that he got his first party invite, even though she probably just invited everyone in his class, it was still pretty cool.

The day is here, we skipped swimming because were all still on the mend from colds and didn't want him too tired AND its snowing...which means he may miss his first birthday party. The roads look ugly and its like 40 min away. *sigh* So I'm a tad bummed. Although *I* will not miss the dance of the mothers. Yes, this is what I call it, and in circles where children have disabilities or dysfunctions, its a bit tamer, but still a dance, none-the-less.

It starts simple enough with the exchange of your names, pointing out your kids, telling ages and sometimes dysfunctions. Then the dance begins. The compare your kid to my kid OR the lets figure out if I can tolerate her presence for a play date. All these I fail miserably at. While I am liked and even (dare I say) loved in my social circles, to most women, I can come off has harsh and abrasive. I'm a tad honest and overly blunt and so at these things I either follow my kid around or revert to the junior high school shy. YES I was shy then, believe it or not. So networking is NOT my strong suit, no matter how much I'd love to have another house to take them too in the summer. SO I don't have to call Piglet and say "Can you pick up all of Sweetling's little toys and help me chase them around your house? they need out." or call my mother and deal with her for a few hours. I really need to look into summer programs. *sighs*

So...we may or may not have a first birthday party and I may or may not have the dance of the mothers anxiety. Honestly, I'm not sure which to hope for. I figure I'll leave it up to the beings more powerful than myself to decide. God and Mother Nature.

Current mood: Torn
Current Song: Power of Two by the Indigo Girls

Winter Cuteness

So, I'm sure most of you have seen this, but if you haven't...this is what we refer to around here as "an 11 on the cuteness-o-meter" or "he currently has his cuteness cranked up to 11"



So...Thats Volume. I have to get one of trouble, but hes not nearly as active as that. Can anyone see why I'm tired? That and two snow days in a row does NOT help. Thank god for online RP's which save my sanity. And for the Maven and her endless hours of talking to me on the phone. Wait...Actually it hasn't been endless. In fact, they end rather fast of late. I'm starting to think she either has a life, or a new baby *grins*. I'm still waiting for pictures of the cute shirt I sent!

Current Mood: Tired...of snow and snot
Current Song: PJ Rooster by Outkast

Weekends

So I spent a busy weekend with a bad cold, which was the only downside to my weekend. Well, that and Saturday gaming got canceled, but even that wasn't SO bad. We had a lovely Tomeweaver wedding on Saturday for 2 13 year olds. Highly entertaining ;). Saturday AM swimming didn't go as wonderful as we would of liked, but we met one of the therapists and found out they can join that class when they are 5, so good to know. Sunday morning brunch was a blast. The Master learned, in part, why I married him from spending time with Justin and realizing he's partly why I'm warped in all the right ways. Justin's wife was a delight, which was not a shock at all. My shout out will be to them for a fantastic Sunday morning! We have to do it again, at whoever's house.

Sunday evening my parents came over and watched the boys and we geeked out all evening. We got to level 31 and are still chugging away at WoW. It may be less time than we think before we have to get Burning Crusade. Yes, Yes I know..I'm sad. The Maven (aka Kraft dinner) didn't show last night. I guess Spawnling was a terror or her weekend trip took it out of her. I'll have to bug her after my errands today.

One thing I find wonderful about getting together with friends you made in the 7th grade and what not is seeing how each of you turned out and if your compatible as friends now. Justin and I were friends from like 7th grade to 9th and then again for a few years after high school. It has always seemed to me that we kinda fall into place with each other like feet into favorite slippers. I'd be curious to know if he feels this too. Justin isn't always the easiest to read, but always entertaining. Its just nice when the bond formed at such a young age lasts. I have a similar bond with Golden Jedi, but he is more the older brother I never wanted that turned cool when he grew up. Its still nice to know some of my friendships last, just never ones with women. *wink*

OK, off to the Monday grind. The in laws are in this weekend...lets hope that goes well. Also, Trouble has his first Birthday Party! and, valentines party at school...so many firsts this year.

Current mood: Calm
Current Song: Add it up - Violent Femmes

Tag and Out of the Closet?

No, its not what you think, but in light of Maven and Kate's baby Olympics, I thought I would bring up the fact that I bet NONE of you has an almost 4 year old who decided to come out of the closet *grins*. So Trouble and Volume were having their daily hour-in-our-room-to-wreck-it time and I went in and Volume came running out. Trouble was NO where to be seen. I start freaking thinking he got out somehow and shut his brother back in the room when I see his little head peak around the door and he comes climbing out of the closet. It just struck me as entertaining.

Ok, I got Tagged and I'm not one to shirk responsibility *cough* so:

A=Available? No, happily Attached

B=Best Friend? The Master...I gave up on female best friends, they just cause too much trouble.

C= Cake or pie? Hmm...I love both. I can't choose...though I love coconut creme pie mmmmm

D= Drink of choice? I mainly drink water, but if were talking while out? White Russian

E= Essential item you use everyday - Computer. I'd be lost without it

F=Favorite color - Blue, any shade of BLUE

G= gummie bears or worms- Bears. NO ONE should eat worms unless no one loves them

H= Hometown -Cincinnati

I = Indulgences - Gaming of all types... I adore it all

J= January or February - I agree with Piglet, this one SUCKS. I hate both, but I guess Feb, because NORMALLY its started to warm up.

K=Kids and Names - Twin Terrors and Double Delight names of Trouble and Volume. Both 4 in less than 2 months. o.0

L= Life is incomplete without... My husband, my children, music, fantasy, laughter, friends.

M= Marriage date - March 19, 1997

N=Number of siblings- One...Faerie who has 4 monsters of her own. I have two half sisters that I haven't seen since I was 9 so they don't count! I'd love to see the Master answer this one *laughs* one of 11, from like 5 different marriages. Its not a family tree, its a family BUSH. I keep the siblings straight, but go out further and I'm sunk!

O= Oranges or apples - both have their uses. I like apple juice more and eating actual oranges.

P= Phobias or Fears -Heights. I hate em. Even playing WoW, my heart jumps falling off of things.

Q= Favorite Quote - There's so many, but lately I adore "Oh if life were made of moments, even now and then a bad one, but if life were made of moments then you'd never know you'd had one." --Into the Woods

R= Reason to smile -My husband, my kids, my friends

S= Season - Autumn. Not only is it my birthday, there are leaves and HALLOWEEN!!!!

T= Tag 3 or 4 people - Most everyone has been tagged :( Steve! Steve hasn't. I'll tag Steve! and Andrew and Em...they are tagged as well.

U= Unknown fact about me - When I was little, I wanted to grow up to be Popeye. I swore that this was possible, and my mother, DramaQueen, bless her...let me believe it. I used to Run around the house pretending to be Popeye. My sister, Faerie, used to try and shoot me down, but I had faith. One day, as smart as she is and being 4.5 years older, she pointed out that I hated Spinach. I tried for a few days to like it and there was crushed the Popeye fantasy. *sighs* I went on to want to be Evil Knievel. *grins*

V= Vegetable you don’t like - Spinach ;)

W= Worst habit - Anal level of organization, can also be my best habit.

X= X-rays - I've only had one, my ankle. I slipped in my in laws back yard and broke it. Only broken bone I've ever had. Sweetling called my cast my "blue boot". I think she was 2 or 3...very cute. her and Piglet would come over and entertain my hobbled self.

Y= Your favorite food -Lasagna hands down. I'm so Garfield.

Z= Zodiac Sign Libra of course. I'm little miss "balance"

There...wow, 26 questions makes for a long blog.

About the new pic, I'm the cute blonde. The other, thats Faeire. Can you tell, even then, she was a drama-Queen!

Current Mood: Sick (darn colds)
Current Song: Only You (thanks Chance...NOT)

Rubber Gloves?

To the righ is Volume's latest school art. This past week they were learning about doctors and dentists. Its still scary to have a almost 4 year old come home with a rubber glove from school. o.O but I had to share the horror!

I will also share some pictures of them with you. I have been lax at doing that, I know. But Impossible Mom isn't just a catchy title, its a way of life. I said to Master the other day, "I feel like I'm always juggling 20 things at once." He replied "thats because you are." So just call me the Jester.

ok, from left to right, Trouble, The Master (reading 10 little dinosaurs..thier favorite book!) and last, but never least, Volume. I adore this shot..red eyes and all. They sure do love their books. So there ya have it. My adoreable family. No, I'm not in that shot. Yes, it was on purpose. Maybe once I ever take a good picture, I'll put one up of me *grins*.

Thats my tuesday post, folks. I'm off to the foot doc. Have a great day!

Russian Roulette with a Drunken Bar Owner

Now before you freak out, NO there was no gun involved. The gun, in fact, was the drunken bar owner. Now, I can explain.

Smurf and hmm...lets call him UnGeek and I went out to see Wojo live. THEY were fantastic, as always. Even better live than on CD (which I now own all of *hops*). They put on a great show! A few songs into the first set, two older, Blondie women started dancing on the "dance floor". Now, this is a small Kentucky bar and the dance floor was about a 5ft by 10ft strip of wood DIRECTLY in front of the band. I no longer tease Justin about singing with his eyes closed. The dance, shall we say in the words of UnGeek was "the embodiment of white trash". Those might not of been his EXACT words, but it was loud. If this wasn't entertaining enough for everyone involved, they started trying to get the crowd to come up and dance with their drunken selves.

The first set ended and the two friends of mine in the band made their way to our table. We reminisced of our 8th grade bus antics and who we still knew from the old days. The topic of the drunken-dancing women came up and Justin mentioned that it was the owner of the bar and her sister. We were a tad shocked, but got from him which one was the owner. Her sister left soon after this revelation and the band started playing once more. The owner was now moving through the crowd to find SOMEONE to dance with. The trick, UnGeek thought, was to avoid eye contact. So having autistic kids came in handy after all. I managed to only get asked once. Poor UnGeek almost got pulled out of his chair until I explained that he had injured his knee. She left us be. One poor guy almost had his arm pulled off as she tried to get him to dance with her. It was all highly entertaining. A nice circus side show...with fantastic music.

On other notes, Volume has been earning his name of late. Tantrums abound when this child doesn't feel totally well. Throw yourself around the room and scream your head off tantrums. The Master and I tend to leave the room and just let him work it out. Unless we hear him hurt himself, of course. Trouble has started to fight with his brother as well. Pushing him back when hes doing something HE wants to do or hogging the TV. we have been trying to let them sort this out for themselves and reminding ourselves that its a GOOD sign. We're hopping that he doesn't start doing this to kids at school.

Current Mood: Content
Current Song: Borderlands by WoJo