School Rolling Along

Last two weeks have been really crazy. Lauren started school in late August and Brandon the day after Labor Day. Lauren's first day sent her into a tizzy. When I got home she was in a full blown panic. She was working on a spelling sheet and was having problems with a section involving phonics. She then told me she didn't go to the special language arts class. She was scared that she was going to be staying in the normal class for reading and spelling. After we finished the spelling pages and I got her calmed down, I discovered that her agenda said she had 3 days to complete the spelling pages. Oh well. The next day I tried to call the school and later found out that Lauren class was just delayed and started the second day. In the end, she is happy with both her teachers. She got the teacher we wanted for the regular class and they switched the teacher for the language arts class.

So far Brandon's class is going good too. He has the same teacher as last year and they kept him with his best friend. I think they did it on purpose. They are about the same level in reading and Brandon is taken out for a harder math class.

Porn Sheet

On Tuesday Brandon started school. He was very excited to be back. At dinner I was trying to get the kids to talk about what they did in school and how things went. Brandon piped up with a lovely comment. "I've got a new PORN sheet in my back pack". As you can imagine, my head popped up on that one. After a question, or two I figured out that he meant POINT sheet. I think this will qualify as one of those things I will remember for the rest of his life.

Rough Start to New Meds

This week we started Lauren's new meds. I waited till I had a day that I was off work so I could watch her on her first day. Kind of glad I did. The drugs made her very sleepy. In one way, it's a good sign. You see the drug they give is a stimulant. It is supposed to stimulate the neurone on the brain and make them function better. The fact that she was sleepy means that it was working. This means that she is definitely ADD. If she wasn't, she would have been hyper. At lunch she hardly ate anything. But by dinner her appetite was back and she started to wake up. On day 2 of the meds, she didn't have the sleepy problem, but she complained of an upset stomach or really stomach pains. Not sure if this was the meds. Don't remember either of the boys having this issue. Lunch was more normal, but the stomach pains were causing her some problems. On day 3 she was just generally freaked out about eating because she didn't want her stomach to hurt. In the end, it was hurting because she was hungry. Today seems to be going fine. No sleepy issues, no stomach pain issues and appetite is OK. Thankfully, we have not had any issues with sleeping at night. That was one both the boys had when they started their meds. On the positive side, she has not fallen this week. Time will only tell if this is just luck or the meds helping her focus to walk. Next week we are on vacation and that should be the true test. There will be LOTS of walking and hiking all over the place. If she can make it through next week without falling I will be a true believer.

Back from Camp

On Saturday night Brandon and Jim got back from Cub Scout Camp. Brandon has not stopped talking about it since. He really had a great time. The first thing he did was show me some targets and tell me about the baby (bebe) gun he shot. I have tried to correct him about 5 times a day, but he still calls it a baby gun. He was apparently pretty good at it and hit the bull eye. Last night he wanted me to scan the target and send it to everyone he knew. I haven't tried it yet, but have a feeling I will. He also got to shot a bow and arrow, a sling shot, and a catapult. From the pictures, it really looks like he was right in there doing just what the other boys were doing with no problems. I'm so proud of him. Here are some pictures that Jim took while they were there.

Expected News in an Unexpected Way

OK, let me explain. We went and saw the Neurologist. We talked, he read all the reports, we talked more. Then he put Lauren through several tests. The good news . . . its NOT dsypraxia, just ADD. He then went on to explain the I'm too used to the boys version of ADHD. Lauren has what he calls the GIRLS VERSION. OK. He then went on to explain that girls have different issues, especially when they're not hyper. He thinks most of the issues she's having, expect for the dsylexia, is all due to ADD. The falling, the memory, the lack of focus the panic attacks. The falling part surprised me and I even asked if he was sure it wasn't dsypraxia like Brandon. He assured me it was not. He thinks she falls and trips due to a large problem with inattention. She so distracted that she doesn't focus on walking or going up and down the steps. SO, he suggested we try the meds that Brandon takes. Now don't all you people freak out. I know there are people out there that are fully against meds, but not me. I've seen the difference it can make for my boys. If it helps her stop falling and the emotions that are running wild, I'm all for it. Of course we will be keeping a very close eye on things for the first month. With Arion I kept a log, think I will do it again with Lauren. Things like how she feels, if she falls, change in appetite and if it effects her sleep. So, wish us the best. I really hope this makes a big difference in her life.

Packing For Camp

This week is a little crazy. I am trying to get two kids packed for camp. Lauren is not too hard. She was just there last month. I really only had to get some new batteries for her flashlights (yes, two . . I assume she will lose one). I guess the bigger issues is Brandon. This will be his first year at camp. Last night we went out and got him a new pair of hiking boots. His old ones were just too small to go another year. As we shopped, we were talking about what he needed to bring. He wants to take everything. I told him he could take his blanket and ONE stuffed animal, but then he wanted to take his dream catcher. I told him that the dreams he has here wouldn't travel and he would have camp dreams. I know, lame. Then last night he was having nightmares about having nightmares at camp and I decided that I would squeeze it in. I guess I am also worried that he will have a good time. At least at boy scout camp, Jim will be with him. The whole troop goes at the same time, so they will all know him. I guess it will be an easy first time out.

Stability Sneakers

So, the PT therapist thought it might help if I got Lauren these "stability sneakers". They're really stability running shoes. She gave me a coupon for a running shoe store. Went there yesterday and saw a whole wall marked "STABILITY". Explained what I needed and sort of why. Funny, he looked at Lauren and then back at me and then checked that it was her and not me that needed the shoes. Now I know I walk with a limp, but come on. Of course he started out my showing me some for $140 and then $100. HELLO, she's 10. NOT HAPPENING. I kindly told the man that I had a problem with spending that much for a 10 year old that might only get 6 months out of them. He then mentioned "last years model". Like I'm worried some guy who reads running magazines is going to notice her out of date foot wear. With my coupon, the clearance shoe was only $57. That, I can do. They better work or we won't be getting any more. Definitely going to check some other store to see what prices they have.

Last Night of PT

Tonight will be Lauren's last night of PT until she can see the Neurologist. I am hoping he will write another prescription for her to continue. She fell again yesterday. No major damage, just hurt her chin and shoulder. In the 6 short weeks since she started, her endurance is better. I'm not so sure that it has had any effect on the clumbiness. I guess there is no quick fix. This is going to take a while. I feel myself getting nervous about the upcoming appointment. What if I'm wrong. What if it's not the dyspraxia and it's something else. I guess the known is better than the unknown. It least I understand the dyspraxia. Then there's always the chance that he says nothing is wrong and then what do I do. I guess I will cross that bridge when I get there. I should have more faith in this doc. I've known him for more than 15 years. He's always know what to do. I guess I'm just tired and worried that the next fall will break a bone or need stitches.

Big Day Yesterday

Yesterday was very busy. Jim finally got a day that he could take Lauren up in a plane. Brandon had his fight a month or so back and now it was her turn. They flew down to the beach and had lunch. While there Lauren hurt her finger. She closed it in the plane door when they landed. On the way back the weather started to get a bit rough. Jim took the plane to 6,000 feet to get over it and that was great for Lauren. She got to see the clouds from above. Really liked it. Unfortunately, Jim didn't get any pictures. He brought the camera, but he said the wind and all took all his concentration. Couldn't put the plane on auto pilot.

I decided to take Brandon to play tennis. He has been asking to learn for a while. I think they did a little at school and really peaked his interest. When we stopped to get some balls I saw some kid size rackets. I checked the chart and found one that he like that was just his size. It was only $15 so I got it. We stayed at the court for about 30-45 minutes. No bad for holding his interest. I think the heat was what did it. I plan on taking him back some more this summer. Of course I didn't get any pictures, since Jim had the camera. I will try take some when we go back.

Lauren at Camp

Can't believe Lauren has been back from camp a whole week. Meant to write and just don't seem to have the time anymore. By the way, she had a great time. She earned lots of credit towards badges and should be able to finish at least 3 before the end of summer. She also wants to work on two other badges, just need to find the time. When I picked her up we stood waiting for her group picture and I asked the one question I needed to know. The director was there and gave me a look. One other counselor looked at me like I was crazy. "So, Lauren, did you make it through the week without falling??" Yeah, didn't think she would. Fell twice. No bad injuries.

The picture is cut from the group picture at camp. You can see her wearing her hat. The hat story is kind of funny. You see I have a similar hat that I put our SWAPS on. A swap is something you make with a pin and pass them on to friends or keep to remind you of something you have done or a place you have been. She wanted a similar hat so I found a cheap one and she has since filled it with swaps. Before camp she made swaps for all her bunk mates. When she got to camp she started to feel very embarrassed about the hat. I told her not to be. That the leaders would really like it. It's a Girl Scout thing. Still she was worried. When I picked her up, she was not only wearing it, but some of her bunk mates had added swaps to their hats too. It was like a badge of honor. She ended up not only giving out the swaps she made to give but some of the one she had for her on the hat. I told her we would just make them again.

All in all she is excited about going back in August.

We're Back in PT Again

Last night we restarted PT again. This time they aren't just focusing on her calves, it's also about her balance. Funny some of the stuff she had her doing. Started with the tread mill like before, but then had her walk backwards. This was a little scary. The therapist kept a hand on her in case she fell. They also had her throwing a ball while standing on one foot. Not so easy at first, then she figured it out so the therapist changed it a bit and made it harder. By the end of the hour, Lauren was worn out. We go back again on Thursday. Then we will have to skip a week while she is away at camp.

More Dsypraxia Research

Yesterday I decided to re-read some research on dsypraxia. It's been a while. Most of what I read before had more to do with verbal dsypraxia then just plain dsypraxia. I started with the symptoms. Found it a little shocking. About half of the symptoms were problems that Lauren is dealing with. It really has me more convinced then ever that she does have it. Here are the 7 our of 14 symptoms from the list. Poor balance, clumsiness, short attention span, poor short-term memory, difficulty in reading and writing, easily distressed & emotional. You could also throw in the poor fine motor skills if you count things like tying your shoes. We pretty much give up and just buy the no tie laces. I remember from other research that it was one of the thing they look for. Anyway, the article says there are a few dozen known symptoms and this was just a list of the more common ones. I will keep researching, but everything I've read says there is no cure, only treatments to help with some of the issues. We still have to wait till the end of July to see the neurologist. Till then it's life as usual. Lauren starts her PT on Monday. then she goes to camp and summer school starts on July 5th. I am hoping by the end of summer, we have a program in place for her.

Long Day at the Hospital

Yesterday was Lauren's appointment with the Pediatric Orthopedist. We had to travel to one of the local children's hospitals. Not too bad a ride. Only 45 minutes. Our appointment was at 1:00 pm and we got there at 12:30 pm so we could do all the paperwork. At 1:00 pm they took us in and started the LONG process. First they had one guy do her vitals and place us in a room. Then a PA came in and examined Lauren and went over family history. Then she left to discuss and set up Lauren's X-Rays. I figured that was coming and had sort of warned Lauren. She thought they were fun. They took a full back and pelvis set. Then we got sent back to our room to wait. Then we met the Doctor. She seemed nice. We went out and she had Lauren walk up and down the hall and then run up and down the hall. By the time she let her stop, Lauren was really starting to get winded. Then we went back the the room and did some more tests. In the end . . . . she is just clumsy. OK, that was a no -brainer. The long and the short of it was that there is nothing physically wrong that would cause it. She has balance issues and is noticeably clumsy, but there is no reason on the orthopedic level. Yeah, so maybe I was right. They said they would send their findings to the Neurologist. It's all up to him now. She also wrote a prescription for Lauren to restart PT. They need to re-stretch her calf and work on balance and gait issues. Probably some endurance work too. Wanted me to put Lauren in a sport. Lauren gave me a look. They only one she might agree to is swimming. We don't see the Neurologist till late July. So now we wait and start PT. By the time we left it was 2:45 pm. I think we both were exhausted.

These People are Really Freaking Me Out

On Wednesday, I took Lauren to her PT evaluation. Didn't go so well. I guess in the back of my mind I was just hoping that they would say "she just clumsy". Yeah, that didn't happen. From the very beginning she saw something wrong. She started with just having Lauren walk back and forth. After the third time down, she asked me when I had the Neurology appointment scheduled. When I told her late July, she told me to move it up. SCARY. That was all she said. Had me freaking out. Of course, it was all on the inside. Didn't want to freak Lauren out. She then kept asking Lauren if her hips or knees ever hurt. Lauren kept saying no. She then check her balance and put her on the table and check things. Then she had her walk some more. At one point Lauren tripped and then the next time she walked right into a piece of equipment. The woman then asked when I last checked her vision. I laughed and said that her glasses were only a couple of months old. It had been one of my thoughts too. She looked at me and said, "but she just walked into it like she never saw it". YEAH. In the end she wanted Lauren to be evaluated by a Orthopedist right away. She also wanted me to try to move up the Neurology appointment. Good luck on that. I make those appointment 6 months in advance. He schedules 3 months out. She thinks something is wrong with her hips. Said that her gant was wrong for her age. Sounds like Lauren is in for X-rays and maybe more. For the last two days I have been trying to get her a Ortho appointment. Thought it would be easy. The problem is her old Ortho guy is now only seeing back patients. The receptionist said he wouldn't make an exception because it been too long since she's seen him. I called two others, but they can't see her till late August. I finally got a list of names from the insurance company that work out of a local children's hospital. The Neurologist said they all were good. Going to try to call on Monday and see what happens. As always, I will let you know.

Lauren's PT Evaluation

So this morning I decided that I was tired of waiting for the school to finish it's PT evaluation on Lauren. Let's face it. Even if they saw something, they aren't going to tell me. That would mean they would have to do something like give her therapy. This morning I stopped by the place that used to do her PT for the toe walking and ask if they had anyone that did evaluations. Seemed like they didn't even know what Dyspraxia was. Scary. The woman recommended that I talk to a Physiatrist. Well, I have never even heard of such a thing. She also said something about ruling out things like Lyme with a blood test. I then stopped by the Pediatrician and asked what he thought. He said I was banging my head against the wall. He then wrote me a prescription for a PT evaluation and sent me over to the office across from his where they do evaluations. So I took the prescription and went over there. They had a woman that mainly does children. I made an appointment for next Wednesday. You may ask why I am so crazy to figure this out. It really has to do with all the falling. This week she tipped her whole desk over and hurt her head. BIG LUMP. Before that she fell at scouts. Hurt her hip and elbow. Before that she fell face first of a step at the sitters while picking up Brandon. I'm just waiting for her to break a bone.

Brandon's IEP

On Wednesday I had Brandon's IEP meeting. I always go in worried that they might try to pull Brandon back to the regular schools. With the economy, I was even more worried. Usually, there are all kinds of people there. Teachers, therypist, directors and always the person from the district. I got there first, I know, I'm just a little crazy about being late. About 5-10 minutes later, his teacher and speech therapist came in and announced that they were it. I asked about the district guy and was told he wasn't coming. She looked at me and said "It's a good thing". DEEP BREATH. She then told me that we were just going to phone conference them in. Since it didn't look like there would be a fight, we were just doing the small group. When we went to call the district, the person we were supposed to get wasn't even there and they gave us a woman who normally does secondary school and didn't even know anything about Brandon or his case. We went over his therapies and how he was doing. Basically, he is doing great, but still has big problems with word retrieval. The speech therapist is worried about him being so self aware. He gets embarrassed when he's with the other kids and can't come up with a word. Doesn't like to ask for help when others are doing it without. The teacher thinks she has come up with a way he can ask for help without the others knowing. Really kind of smart. They are going to put a two sided chip on his desk. Green side for everything is good and a red side for help. Next year the teacher can just stop by his desk to help as she walks around the room. Reading is slow, but he is improving. Math, science, health, social studies are going great. They are even adding stuff in the IEP to increase amount and level. He really excels and they want to give him something to really be proud of. It really is weird that he will have trouble naming a number, but can do a simple algebra problem. Once again, it's all in the word retrieval. Anyway, when all was said and done, we talked for an hour and 15 minutes and he is to stay for another year. YEAH.

Let's Go Camping

So it's that time of year again. Time to take the Girl Scouts camping. We meet up on tonight and then stay till Sunday around 1:30-2:00 pm. Last year, it was 98 degrees. This years forecast is for rain. I am really hoping for some spots of sun. We did plan on several outdoor activities. They were supposed to be canoeing and doing archery. We'll see. At least the rock wall is in the gym area and under cover. The other leader and I have tried to gather some crafts to do. I really would like just one trip that it didn't rain or be so stinking hot. I took the day off today to finish getting ready. Of course, Brandon woke up with a bad dream and here I sit at 5:30 am. Arion wants me to run him around today. As usual, I will make the best of it. I'll post pictures when I get back.

Blue & Gold Award Night

Sunday night was Brandon's Cub Scout Award dinner. Jim and I went and it was great. Not long after we got there, Brandon came and dragged me over to the table holding all the trophies and awards. Then he pointed to a large trophy that had his name on it. It was for second place in the Pine Wood Derby. He and his friend Quinn both got large awards for 2nd and 3rd place. Then they both got promoted to Wolf Scouts for next year. When they were switching their neckerchiefs, Quinn was having a problem and Brandon went right over and helped him. I was so proud. It was really great to see them interacting that way. Needless to say the night was a huge success and a great ego boost for Brandon.

Father Daughter Dance

Friday night was the Gal Pal dance for the Girl Scouts. Lauren and Jim went and had a great time. When they got their, one of her friends was wearing the exact same dress. Guess I'm glad their not older. They both liked that they were dressed alike. What a difference a couple of years makes. Anyway, Lauren had a great time.

Brandon's Big Day

Yesterday was the Special Olympics for Brandon. His whole class went and a large portion of the school. It was really fun, but really hot. I think it was in the 90's. Brandon was in the 50 meter race, the standing long jump and the softball throw. He got a ribbon for third place in the race. He ran the race in 8 seconds. Afterward I took him out for ice cream to celebrate.

Brandon's Dream Blocker

Lately, Brandon has been having a lot of trouble sleeping. Not normal for him. Can't be the med, if anything they almost need to be raised again. He has taken to wearing his camo bandanna to block the bad dreams from getting in. So . . . I'm thinking it's from a rash of bad dreams. When Arion went through this, it was from something that was going on that was freaking him out. Guess I need to figure out what it is and stop it to stop the dreams.

Brandon's Independence in the Tub

Last night I told Brandon that he needed a bath. He announced to me that he was doing it himself. My first thought was GREAT. It took me all of two minutes to start to worry. Was the water too hot?? Was he going to use the right stuff on the right part. I then sent Jim up to see how things were going. Apparently Brandon threw him out saying "I need my privates". Of course he meant privacy, but it made us both laugh. From what Jim could see, all was well. I stuck my head in after about 15 minutes to find him standing in the tub washing his hair with soap all over his body. I was also kicked out. 10 minutes later Jim went back up and helped him rinse his hair and got him out of the tub. Brandon then dried himself off and got on his PJ's by himself.

Now before you get too excited, I learned why Brandon had a sudden desire to do it himself when I went to tuck him in. He started talking about a friend that had written on his arm to give himself a tattoo. He said it was in ink and he was wondering if that was a good choice or a bad choice. I told him that it was more of a bad choice, but if he wanted a tattoo, we could go out and get one of the one put on with water. I then asked if that was why he wanted to give himself a bath. He nodded his head. I thanked him for telling me. I tried to explain about the ink soaking into his skin and how that may not be to good for him. I think he understood. He really is growing up. Anyway, he did prove that for the most part, he can give himself a bath. Just needs to work on the rinse.

Trip to the Movies

Yesterday I had off and decided to take Lauren to see the new Hannah Montana movie. Brandon decided he wanted to go so he went too. Here lies the problem. When I first asked, he didn't want to go. Too girly. We got there early and made it into an earlier show. Sat down in good seats and I gave them some gum to keep them from starting on the candy before it started. About half way through I noticed that Brandon was having a hard time keeping still in his seat. I kept having to stop him from kicking the seat in front of us. Then he would lean forward over the seat and I would have to pull him back. I really wish no one had sat in front of us. Then I realized that he hadn't had his meds. My fault. Didn't think he would be going, so let it go. We don't always give them to him if he's not going to school or somewhere he might need them. I finally put him in my lap. Good thing he's still small enough. Anyway, things went pretty good. They both liked the movie and had fun.

The Big Hunt

Lately things have been crazy with Brandon and Arion. You would think Arion was a little kid they way they play. Right now they have a thing going where Arion keeps trying to steal Brandon's little animals. He then holds them up to his ear and tells Brandon that they are saying that they love him (Arion). Brandon, in turn, has been trying to hide his animals from Arion. The first two attempts that I observed did not work out so good. The one night Brandon was showing me where he had hid them and Arion snuck into the bottom bunk and reached up and grabbed on from the wall side of the bed. Brandon layed in bed awake for the next hour trying to come up with a new plan. The next night Brandon tried hiding them in his pillow case. While giving Brandon his good night kiss, Arion found them again. Last night, I told Brandon I had a plan. We hid them in-between the two blankets on his bed. There is a lump, but when Brandon got up this morning, he was beaming from ear to ear because Arion hadn't found them. He even came up and gave me a big hug and kiss and said "Thank you Mom".

My Lovely Ham Dinner

Lately Jim has been complaining about the amount of chicken and turkey we have been eating. It's his fault really. He and Arion are the one's with the high cholesterol. They both have been told to eat more white meat. So when I asked what he wanted for dinner, the response was "anything but chicken". So while at the market, I saw a large ham on sale and grabbed it. Jim's mom came over and I made my usual big Sunday dinner. So here we are, I have a big ham, garlic & parmesan potatoes, asparagus with hollandaise sauce and a salad with the red onions he loves. I pulled the ham out and asked Jim to carve it then started trying to get everything else on the table. Next thing I know Jim has disappeared. I didn't pay much attention, just started carving it myself. Then I noticed Brandon couldn't get into the restroom for his pre-dinner pee. Next thing we know I hear the distinctive sound of Jim barfing. Long story short (too late), he was unable to eat my lovely dinner because he had snuck out and had a Frosty and then ate the french onion dip and chips that I served before dinner. Next Sunday, he gets chicken.

Conversation with Brandon

Mom: How was your day?

Brandon: Good, I dyed Easter eggs.

Mom: Great. Where - at school or the sitter?

Brandon: School.

Mom: What color?

Brandon: The same color.

Mom: No, what color did you dye the eggs?

Brandon: Blue and Red. It was funny. They turned blue and yellow.

Mom: You dyed them blue and yellow?

Brandon: No, yellow.

Mom: You dyed the egg yellow.

Brandon: No. I fingers got dirty.

Mom: You turned your fingers yellow.

Brandon: No. The egg.

Mom: Did your fingers stain the egg when you where holding it.

Brandon: Yes, it was funny.

The funny thing is that all I could think was that 2 years ago, we never would have gotten that far. It may still take a while to figure things out, but I do and it's really cool.

Big Night All Around

Wednesday night was a little hectic, but great all around. Brandon had a pack meeting and received his Tiger Badge. He also got 6 belt loops and some other awards. I was unable to go with him and Jim because Lauren had a big concert up at the High School. It was the first time she played in a concert with her clarinet. She found the whole thing very exciting. The last piece was very cool. They had all the kids from the elementary, middle and high schools playing one piece at once. They said they had about 600 kids playing and it took about 3-4 conductors to pull if off. The elementary section (all the elementary schools in our district) played two pieces. Then the middle did a couple and then the high school. The high school has a very good band. Their last piece was strictly percussion. Very cool. I don't have any pictures of the concert, because I sent the camera with Jim to get pictures of Brandon getting his award. I was able to take the video camera for the concert, but had a bad seat and couldn't see Lauren at all.

Museum Overnight

Last weekend we took our Girl Scouts to the Natural History Museum in Philadelphia. They have an overnight program for scouts. The trip started out with a very hectic drive. First of all, we all hate to drive in crazy traffic. We had 5 cars and we were all trying to stay together. We finally got there and checked in. The program was good and the girls had a great time. Mary (sister) and her troop was there as well. They put us in different groups, so we didn't see too much of each other. The next day we were able to stay and see anything that wasn't open the night before. There were only a couple of problems. The food was not that good and the floors were very hard. Sort of expected that. The most irritating part was from the other troops. Some times I wonder what these leaders are teaching their girls. They had some rules like no air mattresses and you were not supposed to bring PJ's or a change of cloths. Bathroom space was limited and there really was no place else to change. Mary's group got squashed because the group next to her had air mattresses and took up way more space than they should have. The group next to us had the leaders sitting up and talking while the girls were trying to sleep. I had to go over and ask them to stop. The thing was, they had a room set up for people that wanted to sit around and talk at night. They just had to go down there, but they sat there and had their little coffee clutch. Anyway, our girls did great and had a good time.

Lauren's New Photo

Here is Lauren's new photo. I think it is really good. How come the spring photo is always so much better than the fall photo.

Being Anal at the Grocery Store

Really people. Am I so anal that I let the grocery store check-out girl piss me off. Yes. Not only could she not grasp the concept of "NO" to the paper and plastic (that's why I have this large bag of re-usable bags), but is unable to efficiently pack said bags. She seemed to think that the bread and eggs would fare better in plastic. How, I don't know. She also thought the grapes "would be less smooched" in a plastic bag. I finally said "PLEASE, I don't want the plastic bags." To that she gave me a look of horror.

Derby Troubles

Last night was the Pine Wood Derby at school for Brandon. I think he really had his hopes up. He had done really well with the car in the Cub Scouts. Seems they were having some issues with the track. We noticed that not many cars won on the 1st lane. Lots of cars were falling off the 4th lane. So you not only had to be fast, but lucky. In the first heat, Brandon's car was inched out by his best friend. In Cub Scouts they race more than once or let two cars from each heat move forward, but at school they only let the 1st car go on. Brandon's friend ended up taking 4th place. After it was over, Brandon thru a major fit. There were lots of upset kids. First Brandon took off for the back of the gym to hide. I tried to calm him down, but he was in full shut down mode. NO TALKING. He then took off past me. I thought Jim had him on the other end, but Brandon took off into the parking lot without his coat. I grabbed Lauren and was trying to find Jim and Brandon. We went outside to find Jim walking around. No Brandon. He had followed him to the car and then Brandon took off again. Jim and Lauren said they would search outside while I went back in to recheck the gym. Just when I was getting ready to call in some teachers to help look, Jim texted me that he had him. I got to the car to find Lauren crying. Apparently, after Jim got him in the car, he started throwing stuff. The zipper from his coat (Jim had just given it to him to put on) caught Lauren in the face. I then caught his glasses. When we got home, he went up and hid in his bed. I guess he finally calmed down and went to sleep. This morning there was no sign of trouble. All was fine in the world again. The paper from school even said he did good in class. Wish I knew a way to calm him down. It's so hard when he won't talk. Oh well, it's been a long time since we've had one that bad. I hope it's a long time before we have another.

Brandon's car is the white one.

Lauren and Stress

Lately, it seems that every time I turn around that Lauren is stressing about something.This week she has PSSA testing and she was stressing about that on Monday. This morning it was about a project that is due NEXT Wednesday. She was up and dressed before I could even see straight. So as I tried to shower, she sat on the toilet asking me questions about her family history so she could write her report. HELP

Lauren's IEP

It occurs to me that I never posted about Lauren's IEP. Not really much to tell. They pulled the same old stuff with trying to remove stuff from her IEP. I noticed and had them put it back. Almost missed the one and had to e-mail the teacher the next day. They won't discuss dyslexia programs until she has a "formal" diagnoses. Lauren is set to see the Neurologist in late July with Brandon. I discussed meds with a friend (who has a similar daughter) and kinda hope that they don't use what Brandon takes. There are others that might help with the anxiety while helping with the memory and focus. Seems like a day doesn't go by without Lauren crying or having anxiety over one thing or another. This morning is was an upset stomach and headache. I'm thinking it's over the PSSA testing that starts today. She was better by the time she went to school. I just had to keep reminding her that there was no pass or fail.

The only other thing will be after the PT/OT testing is done. They set that date for mid April. It is being done by the county IU. I may also look into one of the PT places around here just in case the district pulls the same thing as the dyslexia. You know, tell me they see the symptoms, but won't say she has it and should be treated.

It Runs

Well, here is the new car. Not the best, but it runs and has 100,000 less miles than the rolling paperweight. Now we just need to get rid of the old one. Maybe someone will want it for parts.

LIFE

Life this last week has been absolute ciaos. The weekend (last weekend) went good. It was full of stuff for the kids. We went shopping and then rode bikes. I told Brandon if he learned to ride without training wheels that I would buy him a new bike. I needed to buy him one anyway, but it gave him incentive. I had him use Laurens old bike. It took him a bit to get over the pink part. Lauren is comfortable with her new bike. It's much bigger than the old one, but a really good fit. Brandon caught on in no time. Really cool. Now I have to buy a bike. On Sunday, we had Girl Scout Sunday. Lauren was to wear her vest and you guessed it, if she had to so did Brandon. She ended up having a panic attack in church because she thought she was the only one that wore it. She calmed down later when Lexie came to sit with her. She had her vest too. After church, we made candy. This was a first for them. They did pretty good.

Now the bad part. On Tuesday I blew the engine out in my car. Yeah, now it's a big rolling paperweight. Jim and I started discussing what to do. Can't really afford a new car. New engine was more than the car is worth. As we were discussing it the van started making a funny noise. Sounds like that one is not long for this world either. Later I found a car to buy from a old resident that had pasted away. Her kids are selling it for a good price. Can't beat $3000. Not a great car, but it runs and has no major problems. Mileage is low. I will just have to make do. Good thing is now we can replace the van if we have to. I just need the money from the 401K to get here NOW.

Pulling out the Word Tiles

In my home, the words "Mommy Homework" is pretty common. The fact is that when I ask Brandon if he wants some "Mommy Homework", he'll say "Oh no", but start to laugh. I have several things we use. One is the word tiles. I hadn't tried them with Brandon yet and decided to give them a try. Word types are broken up by color. So you need a red (verb) and a blue (noun) and so on to make a sentence. We used them a lot with Lauren. It actually went pretty well. Brandon's reading progress is still pretty slow. I was recently reminded that so was Lauren's. If anyone is looking for these things, I think I found them at Staples.

Anxiety and Timing

Last night, I'm sitting on the coach. Brandon is in bed. Lauren is in the shower. I'm just sitting and thinking. I had just finished reading the 18 page draft report, not counting the 3 graphs, from the psychologist in charge of Lauren's retest. Pretty much what we talked about, just more in depth. I found the charts interesting. I'm visual like Brandon. The one thing that really caught my eye was the difference between what I saw and the teacher saw. The teacher this year is pretty good. I find her to be observant. The thing is I rated Lauren's anxiety level much higher than the teacher. So now the questions.

Is she really that much more emotional at home? Why?

Am I seeing something that's not there?

Am I exaggerating what I see?

At that point Lauren came around the corner into the living room. Her face is red and she's crying. I ask what's wrong and she comes to sit by me. She then proceeds to tell me that someone moved the bottles around in the shower. Because of this, she put body wash in her hair. To her, this is a major disaster. I put my hand in her hair and feel that some is still there. I tell her it's alright and we go up to rinse her hair and put the conditioner she meant to put in her hair in and then rinse again. She finally calms down after much reassuring that's it's not a big deal and that I have done the same thing too. After I get her in bed I came back down. I looked at the report on the table and start to laugh. Yeah, I guess I do see more than the teacher. I have her when she's tired. I have her for more of the things that personally affect her. Although I felt bad for Lauren, it was just what I needed to relieve my doubts.

New Flash - Arion Ate a Health Breakfast

Almost had a heart attack this morning. Arion came down and ate a healthy breakfast. A fruit cup and a bowl of Cheerios. What could this mean? The kicker is, his bad eating habits are my fault. When he was younger, he had problems with being to skinny. The doctors kept telling me to feed him more and give him junk food so he could gain weight. Then he hit puberty and started really packing on the pounds. By then he was in the habit of eating all kinds of things. Hope to do better with Brandon. Even though he is under weight, we still talk about eating healthy. I refuse to give him lots of junk. I have really been talking to Arion about trying to eat better. Maybe some of it is sinking in.

Lauren's Meeting Date is Set

We have finally set the IEP meeting with Lauren's school for next Monday. They have lots of people attending. Once again, they want the principal there. Last night, while I was picking up Lauren, she saw me and called "Hello Mrs. Druger". Is that a good thing? Are principals supposed to know your name, or do they only know the parents that are a pain in the ass. Oh well. I'll let you know how it goes.

Brandon Has Fleas

OK, not really. He just thinks he does. It seems his dry skin problem has now popped up in his head and he really is itchy. The last couple of days he has been telling me he has fleas. This morning I soaked his wittle head with some spray conditioner. Not to sure what else to do. Can you put lotion in someones hair? Maybe tonight I will put conditioner on and let it sit for awhile before I give him a bath.

The Light At The End Of The Tunnel

About two weeks ago I got an email from the owner of my company. It said he would be making some cost cutting measure by the Wednesday of the next week. He had already had his first lay-off back in November and this didn't sound good. Rumors started running wild. Everyone was freaking out. On Monday, three people were laid off. Tuesday, there was a rumor that said he was done. Wednesday, the calls started again. You see, you got a call to come to the main office. The company has many satellite offices. He doesn't just run apartments, like the one I run, but offices, sells houses, etc. About 2:00 pm, I heard one of my friends had to go up. They laid him off after 18 years with the company. Late in the day I heard that one of the other managers had gotten laid off. I started to wonder who was going to cover her site. Didn't have to wonder long. At 4:45 pm I got the call. I was to report to her site in the morning. Now, I have been in my small office 6 years. I was sort of attached. The real pisser was it had just started to really get good again. I had some trouble with two of the old Supers. The new one and I got along great. So, Thursday morning, I stopped at the old site and grabbed some of my stuff and drove to the new site. I knew the two maintenance guys already. They got me in and then it took 2 hours to get me keys and log into the computer. Things were not planned to well.

Now the fun part. The other manager did thing really different than me. We all have the same forms. Our letters are similar. We all have to thing that have to be done by certain dates. But filing, and some other rules are site specific. I started looking around and saw that many thing had not been done. I started freaking out. I'm really anal (OK, OCD) about things. My old site was color coded by year. Things were usually done on or before the date you were supposed to do them by. The bad part, there were a lot of vacant apartments. A lot more then she had been reporting. Still more coming at the end of the month. So, for the past week and a half I have been trying to play catch up. The accounting was a mess. By Friday, I had gotten some of the piles off my desk and replaced them with more. I have to work today and hope to rent at least one. Traffic has been really slow. The funny thing is the other site was doing fine. Only one not rented for the next 3 months. It may take time, but I think I can turn things around. Anyway, that is why I haven't been posting. I've been spending every minute stressing about the new site. Wish me luck today. I need all the help I can get.

Sit, Not Squat

There are phrases that I say at least 10 times a day. This has now been added to the usual. Brandon has developed a new habit of squatting on his seat instead of sitting. It's not just at home either. The teacher mentioned it when I saw her last. Not sure why he's doing it. This morning it was especially bad. Not 5 seconds after I got him back on his butt, I'd notice him switch right back. Any ideas??????

What A Good Big Brother

I feel I have to talk about Arion. He has been such a big help lately. Yesterday, Lauren had to say home because she got the stomach bug. Arion watched her all day. Even when she threw up, he remained calm and called me to see what he should feed her for lunch. He had already made her soup. When I said that she couldn't have it, he just calmly said "OK, I'll eat it and make her some bullion. When I got home, he had run and unloaded the dishwasher. Everything from lunch had been cleaned up. For that I made his favorite dinner. He even didn't balk when I asked him to help Brandon read his journal for homework. One day, he is going to make a great Dad.

Long Call Last Night

Last night I spent about a hour on the phone with the psychologist in charge of Lauren's retest. The end result was not surprising. I was nice to finally hear that someone was seeing what I've been seeing. Once again she said that she wasn't allowed to use labels or diagnosis for the conditions she was seeing, just the symptoms. She said Lauren was listed has having "Specific LD's" (learning disabilities) and if I wanted it changed to "Other Health Concerns", I would have to have a diagnosis from her doctor. This would insure that when she met all her goal that she would still be able to continue with the special programs. She started with telling me that all her teachers noticed an issue with attention. Oh let me guess. Since she's not hyper, that would make her ADD. My comment was that a lack of attention could be seen as ADD and her reply was that you could make a case for that. She then said she found issues with sequencing. Let me guess again. DYSLEXIA. The sequencing problems were not just seen in her "language arts", but also could be seen in some math. She said that Lauren's issues were more with long strings of numbers and fraction, but overall she was doing good in math. She doesn't want Lauren to have math in the special class, but thinks the teacher needs to be attentive to the issues. Lauren, once again, scored very low on all the memory tests. Well, we knew that from the last testing. She mentioned that the memory could be a function of the attention issue. Since I know memory issues are a problem with kids with ADD, that's not a far reach. The anxiety issues were still there, but not as bad as before. They still can be seen as affecting her school work. After discussing the development of her gross & fine motor skills as a young child, she informed me that Lauren would be getting an OT and PT screening from the IU. None of her teachers had noticed her toe walking, but they really weren't looking. She also is much better with shoes on, so she wouldn't be doing it so much at school anyway. We should have the results by the time we do her IEP meeting in March.

Later that night I told Jim about the conversation. He had to leave in the middle to attend a meeting. I asked what he thought. His comment was to take her back to the neurologist. I asked what he thought about putting her on meds like the boys. She not doing to bad at school now, but I know it can have a big affect on attention and focus. Jim thought we should give it a try if the neurologist wanted to. We really trust him. In the end, it will be Lauren's decision. We will let her try and see what she thinks after 6 months. Of course the neurologist might not want too put her on meds. I know some of you have hang up about putting kids on meds. We really have seen the benefits. Please understand. I could care less about whether my kid is hyper. The meds are mainly to help their focus and concentration. Brandon tells people that he thinks better when he takes his medicine.

Jim's Response to Lauren's News

I was a little worried about how Jim was going to take the initial news about Lauren. His comment was the House that ADD built has claimed another one. Yeah, I guess that about sums it up. Still I feel the guilt. It mainly comes from my side. Not that I meant them to have these issues. After thinking about it all day I have come to peace with the situation. I really don't blame my parents for how I am. I don't even blame them for not knowing to get me the special help I needed. Back then, who knew not to trust the schools to know what was going on. Even now a days teachers really don't even understand something as simple as ADHD/ADD.

Brandon's Teeth Brushing

Last night was one of those nights when Jim and I knew something was up, but are not sure what it was. Brandon kept talking about needing to brush his teeth. He kept wanting to leave the dinner table to brush his teeth. We kept trying to explain that he needed to eat first. Finially we let him stop eating and go on up. After I got home from Girl Scouts, Jim said he figured it out. It seems that Brandon had eaten some of Arion's Frosted Flakes and it was making him burp. That or it was setting off his acid reflux. This used to be a big problem when he was a baby. This morning he was at it again. I think it is leaving a bad taste in his mouth. I tryed giving him a childs Pepto, but not sure if it will work. He hasn't taken Zantac since he was 3. If this keeps up I might have to call the doctor about getting some more. Bottom line is no more Frosted Flakes for Brandon.

The News on Lauren

Just got off the phone with the Doctor working on Lauren's retest. She started off with saying the they don't use the words dyslexia, dyspraxia or ADD when giving the results of the testing. She then said they would just mention the issues they are seeing, i.e. lack of attention affecting memory, flipping of letters and words, etc. She also said that she has ordered a OT and PT re-screen for Lauren and suggest I should take her back to the Neurologist for the proper diagnosis. In other words, they don't want to get sued for saying what we all know she has. She is supposed to call me back tomorrow night to give me the full report in depth. We'll see what happens when I get the long version.

Brandon's Comment

For the past several days my back has been out. Really painful. As I was cooking dinner two nights ago, I remembered that I had a pain pill left over from some dental work. I decided to take it to get a break from the pain. What I forgot was that I was supposed to take with food. After about 20 minutes I started to feel sick. I sat down on the couch and things got really bad. As I sat there with my bucket in my lap, I realized that I really needed to eat something to calm my stomach down. I had Arion bring me some chicken from dinner to eat. Everyone else was eating dinner at the table. Jim then yelled out to see if I wanted some spinach too. I said no. Brandon's response was "It's good for the colon". At least that lighten the mood. Still not sure where he got that from. You never know with Brandon.

The Hair Thing

After talking to several people, I have made a decision about Lauren's hair. She can keep it. Several other mothers I know are having the same problem. All of them just give up and brush it themselves. I have decided to do that too with a twist. I plan on letting her do it first. After that I will brush her hair and give positive re-enforcement depending on how many knots I find. This morning wasn't too bad. She did miss some small knots in the underside, but better then some mornings. Hopefully, it will encourage her to improve her efforts to get the job done right by herself.

And Jill Came Tumbling Down

Yesterday morning Lauren fell down the steps again. Yes, that makes 3 times in 3 months. I mentioned it to Doc (the Neurologist) and asked if he thought I should have her tested for dyspraxia. It is referred to has Clumsy Child Syndrome. We talked about all the things that are worrying me. It's not just the stairs. She trips all the time. She's fallen in the tub once or twice this year. He agreed that it is more than normal. With Brandon having it, it is likely that she would have similar problems. He wrote and note for her regular doc and asked me to talk to him about who he wanted to do the eval. He said I could bring her in again if I wanted. I guess it might mean that I will need to find time to get her back into physical therapy. Maybe they can help her with some of the gross motor skills problems. We'll see.

He Used That Word

I know. We had discussed the possibility before. I sort knew it was coming, but part of me hoped it wouldn't. We went to see the Neurologist yesterday. We discussed that Brandon was still having problems with reading more than any other subject. He started having Brandon look at some charts and having him try to read different things. He then looked at me and said he was dyslexic. Like he really needed one more thing to deal with. He told Brandon that he was dyslexic too and I mentioned that so was I. Still, I feel a little depressed this morning. Today I will call the school and have them add it to the list. On the bright side, I mentioned how good Brandon is doing in math and he started giving Brandon some math word problems. Brandon got everyone right. Doc said the one was a 4th grade math problem. Pretty cool. He might have been guessing, but he did get all three right. Otherwise, things are good. He is gaining weight and height. There are no changes in meds, so we just need to keep doing what we are doing.

SBD Lessons

Now I know my house is a little more lacks then some. But the gas situation has gotten out of control. The other night I had a little woman to woman talk with Lauren about Ladies and gas. Yes, it was one of those talks I don't remember my Mom having with me and I never expected to have to have. This being said, I told Lauren that Ladies do not make loud noises out in the open. They either have to leave the room or learn to be quiet about it. I swear she can be the loudest in the family at times. It's really shocking. So after I try to explain the art of the SBD I explain that she needs to start to practice. I guess it's going OK. Now every once in a while she looks at me and says, "hey, I did it". Great, . . .I'm so proud.

Brandon On The Boat

Last Friday night Brandon and Jim went on a Boy Scout over night at the Battleship New Jersey. Pretty Cool. Brandon seemed to enjoy himself. Jim got no sleep due to Brandon not being able to sleep. Seems Brandon had the runs and was just too excited. When they got home, Jim just went upstairs and slept for 4 hours. Brandon sat down and told me all about what he had seen. At one point he couldn't think of the word he wanted and started snapping his fingers and then he looked at me and pointed at his teeth. I said "dentist" and it was right. It was great. He was able to cue me to give him the word. We then were able to go through the other stuff he saw with me cuing him from time to time. The next day he got a sore throat from the outside part of the tour, but all in all it went well.

Second Blog

So now I have started a second blog. It's just for the Genealogy stuff. I figure to post about the people I am researching about and see what happens. I would love it if I could find other people looking for the same people. They have to be out there. It can be found here http://www.ifinddeadpeople.blogspot.com/. Come and visit if you get a chance.

Brandon Update

I occurs to me that I really haven't posted lately on the progress Brandon has been making. It really has been incredible. He has started reading small CVC words. He even can read some 4 letter words. The teachers wrote a note home that he has started to learn how to write in cursive. I do find if funny the his hand writing is neater than the other two. He seems to always have two stars for Math. At home we have started using some of Lauren's flash cards and doing really well. He has been really excited about the stuff he has been learning in health, science and social studies. Some favorites are anatomy and Benjamin Franklin. This morning he was telling me all about Martin Luther King Jr. He even came home yesterday and said he tied some shoes in OT. Boy scouts has been really great. He really loves all the things they do and wants to go to camp this year. We are thinking about boy scout camp, but also his school is having a camp expo of all the special needs camps in the area. I think we will go and see what's out there. Maybe he can do a week at both. Later this month we have our bi-annual appointment with the Neurologist. The one thing that really makes me smile is that a couple of years ago, I remember just wishing I could hold a conversation with Brandon. Back then it was next to impossible. Today we sit down and talk about his day and what he's learning. I still have to help with prompts when he can't come up with the word, but we do get through it and continue. Back then he would just get frustrated and give up. Now, he can be like a jabber box.

Lauren's Day


As you know, Lauren's day didn't start out to good. When I got to the school to pick her up, I noticed that she was starting to cry again. My first thought was the hair again, but asked her what was wrong. The tears really started then as she told me that the zipper on her coat just broke. I look at her coat and saw the zipper was half way up and not zipping either way. I worked with it for a minute and determined that this coat was done. If you haven't heard, PA is in the middle of a super cold period. Not the time for a kid to have a coat that won't zip. I start telling her that it's not her fault and we would have to just get her a new coat. I get home and inform Jim that I will be going out tonight to find Lauren a new coat. He made a face, but agreed. We did go out and found her a new coat. The silver lining was that it was 60% off, which was great considering I had to get her an adult coat. Oh, by the way. I didn't get off easy about the hair. While I was cooking dinner, Lauren came and sat in the kitchen. I asked what was up and she started in on me. "You yelled at me this morning and hurt my feelings". This prompted a discussion about why I yelled at her and how she should be responsible for her own hygiene. At least we had a good talk. Here's the new coat.

What to do About the Hair

Lauren is presently have an issue with her hair. She has decided that she wants to grow it long. The problem is she is not one for brushing real well. Lately I have been finding HUGE knots in the back of her hair. She seems to take the brush and go over the top part but not the underside. I tried to have her flip her hair over and brush, but she fails to re-brush after she flips back. We're using conditioners and that's not helping. This morning I asked if she had brushed her hair and the response was yes. When it came time to leave for the bus I noticed a huge mat by her ear in the underside of her hair. I lost my patience at that point and ended up yelling at her while I brushed her hair at the bus stop. Of course she just can't handle being yelled at and was in tears. Now I feel bad. GUILT. Think we might need to rethink the whole long hair thing. What do you think?????

Disqualified

There are some things that a mother should not be woken up to. Two nights ago, Brandon woke me up at 4:15 am and said "Mommy, I disqualified". My response, after a 10 second delay (it took that long to register), was "Oh Crap". For those that don't understand, disqualifying is done when one is trying to make a "gassy" and something else comes out. So my response was appropriate. This is my family, and I love them. Really.

The Bold and The Beautiful

Last night Lauren and I went to pick up her new glasses. Unfortunately, she seems to have my eyes. That would be the eyes of a bat. Last year at this time she got her first pair and was already 20/100. The school nurse sent home a sheet this year and said she was 20/100 with the glasses on, so Jim took her in for another exam. She went up another 3 points. NOT GOOD. Of course the problem is that she is falling so fast and our insurance only allows 1 exam a year. Not sure that's going to do it at the rate she's falling. It did pay for two pair of glasses and Jim let her pick both out. She decided on one bold pair for everyday and one more reserved pair for church and dress up days. So here she is in her new glasses. See if you can tell which pair is which.

Oh, Yes I Did

For Christmas, my good friend Shannon sent me a 1 lb. Sugar Daddy. It is one of my favorite types of candy. You people can keep your chocolate, I will take the caramel. Anyway, I know most people my age would not even think of really eating it. NOT ME. I started sucking on it two nights ago. I have to be careful not to pull out any teeth, but, man it's good. Jim keeps telling me I'm going to throw off my blood sugar, and I did feel it the next morning, but it was worth it. So far I really have only put a dent in the thing. We'll see how long it takes me to eat the whole thing. Thanks Shannon

List Mis-Uses

I am a list person. Let's just get that out of the way up front. I make list everyday; work, home, you name it. If I didn't, I would never get anything done. It's the only way I can stay organized. My family has gotten to know this and are now starting to mis-use the lists I keep. For Christmas I had two lists going. One for what we were going to eat and what times they needed to go into the oven. I had another list for what I needed to do, such as set the table or peel the potatoes. Sometime after lunch Christmas day, Jim's mom noticed that "someone" had added that I should hug my husband. Yeah, like I had time for that. So I did it and then added "Give wife a back rub" to the list, and funny, that never happened. Big Surprise. Over the weekend I was talking to Lauren and said that I had so much to do and her response was to make a list. That's my girl!!!! So we got out my list paper and started writing all the stuff that needed to get done. The next part of the list is to assign letters next to each item for the person that should be responsible for the item. That way everyone knows what they need to do and everyone see that everyone is pitching in. A couple of hours later I notice that Arion and Lauren have been adding things to the list that really don't belong there and assigning it to one another. GREAT. Like this is going to help me get through another list. Did I mention how happy I will be when everyone gets back to school.

Silver Lining to Boring Meeting

Let's start this little post by stating that about a month ago I couldn't find my Ipod. It really was upsetting. I remember putting it in my purse, but couldn't find it anywhere. Super Uterus was definitely not working. I was scared that I lost it in some graveyard, because that was the last place I remember using it.

So I was in this boring meeting the other day. Once a week we have to go to the head office to discuss how we are doing and if there are any problems. I really was ready to leave and had just grabbed my bag and purse and put them on the table. That's when a new round of some discussion started. I sat back down, wishing they would just stop so I could get out of there. As I half listened, I noticed a zipper on my purse. I started to think "what's that zipper to". "Was it always there". "I wonder what was in there." So of course I slowly pulled the purse over and started to open it without anyone noticing that I was now paying NO attention to their discussion. Low and Behold, there was my Ipod and all the lipsticks that I thought I had lost. Funny I don't remember putting them in there. Didn't even remember that zipper being in the front under that flap.

The lesson for today is that sometimes boring meetings have their purpose. You can clear you mind and find things you had totally forgotten about. To reward myself, I downloaded 4 more songs.

Just Catching Up on Things

It's really been a crazy Christmas season. I feel like I just stopped running. It didn't help that Brandon got really sick right before Christmas. I have never seen him so sick. I really thought we would be spending Christmas in the hospital. Luckily, it's pretty much gone now. So I guess I should catch everyone up on the happenings.

Let's see, we made gingerbread houses.

The girls scouts went caroling at one of the assisted living facilities.

Brandon's school had a concert on his birthday.

We later celebrated his birthday later. He really loved the snowboard and can't wait for the snow to come.

Christmas was good. Everyone got what they wanted. Nana spent the night and enjoyed our crazy morning and dinner with the big family. Jim and I really didn't exchange to save money. We have agreed that if we see something down the road we are each able to buy something small in the after sales.

We went to Mary's for new year's eve. We had a great dinner and then came home to watch the ball drop. Lauren and I fell asleep on the couch and Brandon and Dad got caught up on Survivorman and missed it too.