Get In, Buckle Up, & Hold On

Something Old, Something new

2010-10-14T10:35:00.000-04:00

This 'year' I wanted to try something new with our 'schoolwork'. Lapbooks, while great learning for Noah, were A LOT of work for me. A friend recommended the Amanda Bennett unit studies called Download and Go. I had previously checked them out, but many of the links used took you straight to You Tube - and while the provided link was appropriate, many times the You Tube content down the side (while also distracting) was not appropriate. I was pleased to find out that the AB staff had changed the porthole and now when you click a link from within your PDF study it takes you to a generic AB background page where you can safely view your desired video!

I will tell you, we are LOVING this process! It saves me literally 6 to 8 hours a WEEK in prep time. There is a list of suggested books, there are suggested activities, lapbook activities are provided if you so choose to use them. And while nothing is ever 'out of the box ready' for us, this is very useable and I can alter it or adapt it as we go.

They are geared to do one unit study a week... so far we've taken a little longer - but we do a LOT of hands on learning, and take some sidebar trips if you know what I mean. It sure beats making my own unit studies up (reference "I Know A Chicken") and spending hours online searching and copy/pasting! Thank you Amanda Bennett!!!!

We just finished up Autumn Treasures, and are preparing to start George Washington. YeeeeHAAA!

Noah's newest video horseriding

2010-04-05T14:28:00.001-04:00

This song is soooooooooooooooooo Noah!!! Chicks dig it :) LOL

My Mom

2010-04-01T19:51:00.000-04:00

So I came across this somewhere, and thought it would be fun (and insightful) to have Noah do the same set of questions once a year, every year. The following is what we've got so far:

My Mom - by Noah Mathews

1. What is something your mom always says to you? 2009 Answer: Love you. 2010 Answer: I love you.

2. What makes mom happy? 2009 Anwser: Being good. 2010 Answer: Being good, being silly, being happy.
3. What makes mom sad? 2009 Answer: Being bad. 2010 Answer: Me being bad, and when I'm sad.

4. How does your mom make you laugh? 2009 Answer: Being silly. 2010 Answer: Tickle me, when she tells jokes to me, and when we are being silly, when she makes silly faces at me.

5. What was your mom like as a child? 2009 Answer: You were little!   2010 Answer: Silly and small.
6. How old is your mom? 2009 Answer: 15.   2010 Answer: 56.
7. How tall is your mom?   2009 Answer: Very tall.    2010 Answer: I don't know, smaller than a tree.

8. What is her favorite thing to do? 2009 Answer: Pet Einstein. 2010 Answer: Watching Days of Our Lives.

9. What does your mom do when you're not around? 2009 Answer: work. 2010 Answer: Work.
10. If your mom becomes famous, what will it be for?   2009 Answer: happy.   2010 Answer: Talking.
11. What is your mom really good at?   2009 Answer: Hugging.   2010 Answer: Cooking pizza.
12. What is your mom not really good at? 2009 Answer: Lying.    2010 Answer: I don't know.
13. What does your mom do for her job?   2009 Answer: Work all day.   2010 Answer: Work on the computer.
14. What is your moms favorite food? 2009 Answer: Pizza - just cheese pizza. 2010 Answer: Pizza.
15. What makes you proud of your mom? 2009 Answer: Dancing.   2010 Answer: Lovins

16. If your mom was a cartoon character, who would she be? 2009 Answer: Pooh Bear. 2010 Answer: Minnie Mouse.

17. What do you and your mom do together? 2009 Answer: Arts and crafts. 2010 Answer: Homeschool work, cook, play games, watch TV, play the Wii.
18. How are you and your mom the same? 2009 Answer: We have the same hair and we have glasses. 2010 Answer: We both wear glasses.
19. How are you and your mom different? 2009 Answer: We're wearing different shirts. 2010 Answer: I don't know.
20. How do you know your mom loves you? 2009 Answer: By kissing. 2010 Answer: She kisses me a lot.

21: Where is your mom's favorite place to go? 2009 Answer: JoAnn Fabrics. 2010 Answer: Disney!

Molly's Training

2010-04-01T07:53:00.001-04:00

So this is a side view of where Molly should be when walking her. Actually, she's probably still a little bit forward of where she should be - but doing really well!

Noah walked her to the mailbox, and made her sit. You can see she is patiently waiting for him to check the box and tell her "lets go" to head for home!

Noah thinks this is great fun!

This is our first training field trip in Downtown Rochester. Its a LOT louder and busier than Downtown Lake Orion!! This is Bonny, our trainer walking Molly - getting her warmed up for us!

Molly did really good. We discovered something new about her - she's afraid of bikes and strollers!!!

And Noah tends to walk like mom...not in a straight line. Which is okay - as long as Molly FOLLOWS him and doesn't try to steer him.

Here's Noah rewarding Molly with good girls when she went to a sit for him. He sure loves his puppy!

If you'd like to learn more about Bonny's training services you can reach her website by clicking here.

Dance Marathon U of M and Molly - Super Therapy Dog in Training!

2010-03-31T16:39:00.001-04:00

So this weekend, with 4H Fair week in mind, we decided to take Molly to the DMUM event in Ann Arbor with us. You can learn more about this awesome non-profit program here.
Basically - its a giant party - 30 hours of it. Mind you, we didn't stay 30 hours - but we were there about 6.
There's games and crafts - Noah and Maria were rocking out the Hula Hoop!

There's dancing.

Lots of dancing.

Noah LOVED learning the line dancing with all his new DM friends! We're waiting for the compilation, we're going to learn the rest of it for our PE!!!

But one of the greatest things about the whole day was Molly. This was her first forray into anything like this - and she did AWESOME. DM was held in the Indoor Track and Field building - a massive open space. There were hundreds of people everywhere. There was a DJ with professional speaker system. And there were crazy party disco lights. There was clapping, cheering, yelling, laughing... basically complete Chaos. And it didn't faze her in the least.

She probably made about 100 new friends. There was just one lady she wasn't sure about... and frankly, I wasn't sure about her either. She did FABULOUS with kids in wheelchairs. I had to help her get a little closer, but she was engaging and sweet and calm - she got it. There was an encounter with a baby about 16 months old - next to the dance floor. Molly was in a sit/stay, and holding well. The baby wanted to pet the top of her head, and she couldn't quite reach... and GET THIS - Molly laid down on the floor of her own accord, seeming to sense what the baby wanted to do - and she even ever so gently gave the baby's hand kisses. It literally brought tears to my eyes.
Bonny Wainz of Alternative Canine Training is who we are working with to train Molly. You can learn more about her program here.
About 5 and a half hours into it, Molly started to get skittish, and snuggled up tight with Noah for the hour and a half drive home. This outing was a HUGE success!

Noah is really looking forward to a picnic with his DMUM team, and can't wait for next year's activities to start! What a weekend!!!

Spring is coming!

2010-03-15T08:12:00.002-04:00

So it's time to get our seeds started. Noah loves planting the seeds, but was disappointed that we wont be able to see the "baby plants" for so long.
What else can we grow?

CRYSTALS!!!

So attempt 1 and 2 didn't work.

Realized that since our well water is softened with SALT we should probably use bottled water.
Attempt 3 is going MUCH better.

You can see how much it grew overnight!
We learned it's really important to read directions, and follow directions!

And this is what it looks like now, after 2 weeks in the little plastic cup - just growing away!
(Will have to add a photo later, can't find the card its on!)

In honor of Dr. Seuss

2010-03-03T12:38:00.000-05:00

Oh! The Places You’ll Go!
by the incomparable Dr. Seuss

Congratulations!
Today is your day.
You’re off to Great Places!
You’re off and away!

You have brains in your head.
You have feet in your shoes.
You can steer yourself any direction you choose.
You’re on your own. And you know what you know. And YOU are the guy who’ll decide where to go.

You’ll look up and down streets. Look’em over with care. About some you will say, “I don’t choose to go there.” With your head full of brains and your shoes full of feet, you’re too smart to go down a not-so-good street.

And you may not find any you’ll want to go down. In that case, of course, you’ll head straight out of town. It’s opener there in the wide open air.

Out there things can happen and frequently do to people as brainy and footsy as you.

And when things start to happen, don’t worry. Don’t stew. Just go right along. You’ll start happening too.

Oh! The Places You’ll Go!

You’ll be on your way up!
You’ll be seeing great sights!
You’ll join the high fliers who soar to high heights.

You won’t lag behind, because you’ll have the speed. You’ll pass the whole gang and you’ll soon take the lead. Wherever you fly, you’ll be best of the best. Wherever you go, you will top all the rest.

Except when you don’t.
Because, sometimes, you won’t.

I’m sorry to say so but, sadly, it’s true that Bang-ups and Hang-ups can happen to you.

You can get all hung up in a prickle-ly perch. And your gang will fly on. You’ll be left in a Lurch.

You’ll come down from the Lurch with an unpleasant bump. And the chances are, then, that you’ll be in a Slump.

And when you’re in a Slump, you’re not in for much fun. Un-slumping yourself is not easily done.

You will come to a place where the streets are not marked. Some windows are lighted. But mostly they’re darked. A place you could sprain both your elbow and chin! Do you dare to stay out? Do you dare to go in? How much can you lose? How much can you win?

And if you go in, should you turn left or right…or right-and-three-quarters? Or, maybe, not quite? Or go around back and sneak in from behind? Simple it’s not, I’m afraid you will find, for a mind-maker-upper to make up his mind.

You can get so confused that you’ll start in to race down long wiggled roads at a break-necking pace and grind on for miles across weirdish wild space, headed, I fear, toward a most useless place.

The Waiting Place…for people just waiting.

Waiting for a train to go or a bus to come, or a plane to go or the mail to come, or the rain to go or the phone to ring, or the snow to snow or waiting around for a Yes or No or waiting for their hair to grow. Everyone is just waiting.

Waiting for the fish to bite or waiting for wind to fly a kite or waiting around for Friday night or waiting, perhaps, for their Uncle Jake or a pot to boil, or a Better Break or a string of pearls, or a pair of pants or a wig with curls, or Another Chance. Everyone is just waiting.

No! That’s not for you!
Somehow you’ll escape all that waiting and staying. You’ll find the bright places where Boom Bands are playing. With banner flip-flapping, once more you’ll ride high! Ready for anything under the sky. Ready because you’re that kind of a guy!

Oh, the places you’ll go! There is fun to be done! There are points to be scored. There are games to be won. And the magical things you can do with that ball will make you the winning-est winner of all. Fame! You’ll be famous as famous can be, with the whole wide world watching you win on TV.

Except when they don’t. Because, sometimes, they won’t.

I’m afraid that some times you’ll play lonely games too. Games you can’t win ‘cause you’ll play against you.

All Alone!
Whether you like it or not, Alone will be something you’ll be quite a lot.

And when you’re alone, there’s a very good chance you’ll meet things that scare you right out of your pants. There are some, down the road between hither and yon, that can scare you so much you won’t want to go on.

But on you will go though the weather be foul. On you will go though your enemies prowl. On you will go though the Hakken-Kraks howl. Onward up many a frightening creek, though your arms may get sore and your sneakers may leak. On and on you will hike. And I know you’ll hike far and face up to your problems whatever they are.

You’ll get mixed up, of course, as you already know. You’ll get mixed up with many strange birds as you go. So be sure when you step. Step with care and great tact and remember that Life’s a Great Balancing Act. Just never forget to be dexterous and deft. And never mix up your right foot with your left.

And will you succeed?
Yes! You will, indeed!
(98 and ¾ percent guaranteed.)

Kid, you’ll move mountains!
So…be your name Buxbaum or Bixby or Bray or Mordecai Ale Van Allen O’Shea, you’re off to Great Places!
Today is your day!
Your mountain is waiting.
So…get on your way!

Quiet things you can do at 3am...

2010-02-26T03:34:00.001-05:00

Iron.
Knit.
Read on another level of the house.
Type - with same caveat above.
SLEEP - this is my preferred activity at said time.
Empty/load dishwasher using extra precaution for maximum noise reduction.
Laundry (ours is in the basement)
Hand wash floors - this is NO FUN
Watch tv - but there's nothing on, old dvds would be good here - except the funny ones, because then you wake everyone up from laughing too loud....
Shovel snow
Think about things you can do when everyone is awake, when you'll be ready to sleep
Plan the ultimate dream vacation
Plan a vegetable garden, or even a flower garden - these things take research!
Surf the net
that's all I got. I'm actually TIRED!!

Such sweetness...

2010-02-25T12:22:00.000-05:00

The other day Noah was in his room with Molly and he had the radio going, and I stopped to listen, and he was singing to her:
"I get down, you lift me up, I get down, you lift me up, I get down, you lift me up, I get down" It's from a VBS Praise and Worship CD over last summer. He really adores her.
He's doing very well with the separation for training so far, although its only been two and a half days - BUT, with Mommy sick and Daddy out of town - that is a HUGE success for him!
He thinks of Scout still, and he tells people that 'yeah, he was hit by a car' - so he remembers, but he is embracing Molly as well. He's really excited about a couple of things: first, that when she comes back on March 9th she will be test ready, and able to accompany him EVERYWHERE; and second that she will have GOOD MANNERS, ie: remember to close her mouth when she's smiling so she doesn't scrape with her teeth. She's VERY smiley!
So I thought I would just post a few photos of Miss Molly :)

More quilt finishes :)

2010-02-22T12:11:00.001-05:00

This first set of pictures is actually a quilt that I've been working on for the better part of 4 years! The border is one star pattern, and the center portion is made up of stars that DO NOT repeat. The fabrics don't repeat either. This was made for my Inlaws, which I lovingly refer to as my Outlaws. Why? Because the difference between an inlaw and and outlaw is that outlaws are WANTED! I do love my extended family so!!!!

So Mom and Pops like jewel and earth tones, so this is a King size quilt for their bedroom.

The bottom set of photos is a pattern called Boxy Stars, and I had been holding onto a piece of fabric that just reminded me of Grandma Forsythe. When I came across this pattern, I knew it would be perfect to showcase the special fabric, and perfect for Grandmas living room :)

She really liked it, and it looks wonderful on her sofa! I hope she's actually using it though, to keep her lets and feet warm at night!!!

Pride of Trilogy - JamLive at Cobo

2010-02-21T08:09:00.000-05:00

*********WARNING************** This is a tear jerker... and mom got a little loud.

Lifehorse

2010-02-20T07:47:00.001-05:00

This is Noah's totally FREE TO US horse therapy. This first video is 'his' horse Domi. Domi is absolutely beautiful and sweet, he even gives kisses!!!

Stacy is the owner and Coach and she is fabulous with each kiddo. If she's not familiar with your child's particular disability(s) she makes it a priority to find out more. She also goes out of her way to learn more about your child, and your family! She seems to instinctively know when to push Noah for more, and when to back off - when to be serious, when to be goofy... she's just wonderful. Stacy and her Lifehorse have been such a gift in our lives! THANK YOU!!!

If you would like to find out more, or read about how you can support this non-profit organization, please visit http://www.lifehorse.org/

Noah's Special Needs Cheer Team in Chicago at Nationals

2010-02-19T08:23:00.000-05:00

FREE Ladybug lapbook today!!!

2010-02-19T08:12:00.001-05:00

http://www.currclick.com/product_info.php?products_id=34152&it=1&

Last Found Quilt Post for today

2010-02-18T11:46:00.000-05:00

This is the quilt I did for the newest addition to our extended family, RT and Nora's son, Trey. I haven't seen him since they live in Minnesota... but I totally loved each fabric in this quilt! SO SWEET!!!!

Just a special gift

2010-02-18T11:43:00.000-05:00

This is the babydoll quilt I made for my friend, Grace. Actually, she's my friend Shari's daughter, but Grace is my friend too. She's an absolutely stellar young lady, and I thoroughly enjoy her. I just felt moved to make her something special.

Another quilt !!

2010-02-18T11:33:00.000-05:00

This is the quilt I made for Chelsey, our go-to babysitter, when she graduated from High School, Class of 2009.

Man do I miss having her!!! Her quilt is one of my favorites so far :) The backside is meant to represent a pool - she's a swimmer and diver.

Flat Travelers - a new approach to learning geography!

2010-02-17T15:10:00.000-05:00

Okay, so there's a Yahoo group called Flat Travelers. The idea is based on the Flat Stanley book series. Basically you make a flat character and mail them off around the world, or just the USA, for other people to take on adventures! I hope for it to be a great way to learn about similarities and differences of people and places. Our flat traveler, Happy, will be departing for Memphis TN tomorrow!

Here is our Letter to the Host Family:

Date:
Temperature:

Our name and address
My Email addy

Dear Family,

My name is Happy, and I'm so happy to be staying with you for a while! I was created by mom when Noah was little. Noah's had 3 open heart surgeries, and I was used to help teach him how his heart is happy now that it's fixed!

We live in Michigan, about an hour north of Detroit. Our city is called Lake Orion, and it used to be a vacation area for those who lived in the city. Many of the houses in our neighborhood are still 'cottages' that haven't been remade or expanded into larger homes! There are many small lakes in Lake Orion. We live up on a hill, and our house backs up to a paved road - but the best part is we overlook a small lake called Bunny Run Lake! It is very beautiful in winter and spring.

Did you know that no matter WHERE you go in Michigan you are never more than an hours drive from a lake? It sure makes swimming easier in the summertime. Because we are so far north our winters here are long, and our summers are short. The waters stay pretty cold until about the 4th of July. Sometimes it's even too cold to swim then!

Mom has been homeschooling Noah for 3 years now. He was in Special Education, but they don't teach academics there. So now we get to do all kinds of fun things together. We LOVE to take field trips, and travel, and have fun with friends - and especially picnic! Dad has to work during the week so he doesn't get to have as much fun. We have 2 dogs - Einstein who is a Bichon Frise, and mom's little buddy; and then right before Halloween we got a labradoodle and we named her Molly. She is going to be a certified service companion dog for Noah! She finishes training mid-March and then just has to do a test to get a special paper. The test is kind of like show and tell - mom tells Molly what to do, and Molly shows that she is a good listener!

Noah is also on a special needs cheerleading team, he really knows how to pump up a crowd. He is always smiling. A lot like Buddy the Elf. Elf is one of our favorite movies. Mom loves purple, and smiling is her favorite. I like Martha Speaks on PBS. Noah would love it if all his toys could come alive just like in Toy STory. Did you know that Toy Story 3 is coming out this summer? We can't wait to go see it.

I think I'll put a couple of photos here for you to see, and I can't wait to see what fun we will have together!

And here is our host family journal page:

Date of Arrival:
Host Family Name(s):
Host Family Location:
Places I Visited:
What was your favorite part of my visit?
What was the weather like?
What do you wish *could* fit in the enveleope for me to bring home?
How far did we travel together in one day?
In the whole week?
Online Traveling can be very hard work, what did we do to relax?
If you have any pets, what are they and thier names?
What do you like best about where you live?
What are your favorite movies?
What are your favorite foods?
What sorts of things are available where you live that might not be available anywhere else?
What book are you reading right now?
What do we have in common?

Last one on Quilts... TODAY!

2010-02-03T09:05:00.000-05:00

This one is called Patriotic Love, and I made it for Christmas for Grandpa Odie 2007. It is hand appliqued hearts, and then I quilted stars and hearts in each sashing square. It's really cute - he loves it (and subsequently wants to be BURIED WITH IT - ACK!) I love it (and would like to have it returned to me versus buried in the ground), everyone loves it. This was my first forray into 'freestyle' quilting. I stippled around each of the applique hearts to make them pop a bit more, and then I drew on the hearts and stars in the sashing squares and did a satin stitch over them. I'm not happy with ALL the stars, but all in all, it came out really good! Stitched in the ditchAround the borders and did a little more freestyle on the border. Happy Happy!

I was sooooooooooo sick that Christmas, but I remember hand stitching the binding on, basically racing the clock to get it done and wrapped up in time.

This is going pretty well - yet another quilt completed!

2010-02-03T08:53:00.001-05:00

So this one was my Boxy Beauties that I made for our California King Size bed after our Brittany Spaniel had a fun day with our old comforter. I LOVED working on this one! I made it all out of fat quarters, and it came together very quickly, and its such FUN colors! Very bright, very beautiful, and very BIG!
My friend Nancy McNally has a longarm machine and she did the quick quilting for me - which is just a grid of waves... like the ocean. I had originally had this project slated to use all periwinkles and sand and ocean colors... but well, even the best laid plans go awry! I had to work with what I had... and I'm really pleased with the outcome!
I double padded this one, and then used snuggle flannel for the backing. It is nice and cozy warm! Carl still needs another layer in between, but it's perfect for me :)
LOVE IT!!!!

Let's try again with more completed quilts.

2010-02-03T08:47:00.001-05:00

So this one was a Christmas gift for Grandma Otberg, and I call it Irish Rag Time. I WILL NEVER MAKE ONE OF THESE AGAIN! Oh what a pain. With the leftover circles I made some purples and made some semi-matching placemats for my Mom-Out-Law. (What's the difference between Inlaws and Outlaws? Outlaws are WANTED!!!)
So I actually took a class at Viking for this one... and I think it was WAY more complex than it needed to be, and I'm happy with the outcome... I twas just the most time consuming thing I've ever made and its not even really "quilted"!!!!
I can't find a photo of the placemats so I'll have to go take some and post them here later. Everything is a learning experience :)

Quilt history photos - a test... do I feel lucky???

2010-02-03T08:37:00.001-05:00

Okay, so I think I messed up and should have typed the text first, but I'm not sure.

Anyway, this is Froggys in Pink, but I don't remember who I made it for now....LOL I'm sure it went to a good home though! Aren't they CUTE!?!?!?!?!?! Crappy lighting, sorry about that.

Holy Scrap!

2010-01-29T16:51:00.001-05:00

Holy Scrap!

So I named our summer quilt that I've been working on all summer - as I was laying it out to confirm placement, I was thinking about what my friend Nancy said when she first saw the blocks - she called them a "God's eye" - like what we used to make with yarn and popsicle sticks.

So these are God's eyes made out of nothing but scraps... and as I'm lying them out it came to me: HOLY SCRAP! So thusly, the quilt will be named Holy Scrap in honor of God's eyes watching over us.

I'll get a photo up of the progress as soon as I figure out how to do it... which might be a while.
Just thought i'd share! Hubby didn't "get it" but my friend Grace did, and thought it was very funny. So... at this pace it will be finished by November!! Yahooo! Although I've got to get going on Halloween costumes...which are not quilted (blech) so that's bound to slow me up some.
Cest la vie.

Blogging, okay, it seemed like a good idea at the time...

2010-01-29T16:50:00.000-05:00

A place to store all my quilt musings, goals, wishlists - and FRIENDS!!!!
I don't really know what I'm doing... but, well - Go Big or Go Home, right???

So here we go!!!

Right now:
I am waiting for the rest of my fall blocks to arrive in the mail for a block swap I'm hostessing - and they are all so beautiful! I will freely admit I'm having a hard time parting with them! To CHOOSE only 2 from each submission has been like TORTURE!!!

I have an apple table topper pieced and sandwiched (blocks from my very first block swap - where I learned I am NOT an applique-er) and ready to quilt.

I've got my snowman charms waiting to be balled (hehe)

I've got my July Blues Christmas blocks waiting for inspiration on placement. Which reinforces I NEED A DESIGN WALL!!!! If someone could just explain the importance of that to my husband...

I've got two baby doll quilts in the works - one top done, the other...waiting for a little adjustment.

Boxy stars has been done for ages, needs to be sandwiched and quilted.

Stars for Inlaws is in the same boat with boxy stars.

Happy Jack door hanging needs his teeth sewn on... and some kind of hanging mechanism.

Mountain Burst - which is destined for my friend Shari - needs to be sandwiched and quilted.

SURE SOUNDS LIKE I NEED A LONGARM!!!! (And about 8 more hours in every day - but 8 hours of no responsibility!)

Soooooooooooooo... winter will be upon us before I know it... let's see how many of these I can get finished - especially considering 5 of them are CHRISTMAS GIFTS! Ack!

Oh yeah, and I've finally got the scrap blocks done and squared up for the summer quilt for our bed...ready to put together now that SUMMER IS OVER!!! LOL

Sounds like I'm either ADD, or need some time management advice... feel free to leave it!!
Hugs out...

Revamping my life

2009-05-14T08:41:00.001-04:00

Okay... so as a blog to document our homeschool adventure... well - I'm not so great at that. Not that there's not learning going on - Noah even shocked Daddy last week by knowing what the word parched means, and used it appropriately! There's tons of learning going on - just not in the 'traditional' sense of the word.

So... maybe I'll make this journal more about my LIFE - or the craziness that seems to be my life anyway!

Everything seems to be in transition... so going to try to go with the 'flow' of the transition.

2 challenges: finishing the 6 quilts I have started for gifts - the first one being for a HS graduate so I better HURRY! And getting the garden prepped and planting veggies. Although we had frost 2 nights ago so I don't feel the urgency with that like I do on the quilts!

Revelations

2008-10-17T09:43:00.000-04:00

I have learned some really wonderful things about Noah, and the progress he has made, over the last couple of weeks.

First was my observations of him at the Meadows Harvest Festival. We were all learning how to square dance, and it came time where Noah and a friend of his were the lead or head couple. Carl and I were going to switch with them, but he insisted that he could do it, it was his turn to be the leader. Against my instinct, I yielded and BOY was I amazed!!! Not only did he do all the steps, he did them correctly!!!! Which involved going down to visit the foot couple, a cast off, making a bridge - it was amazing! I learned that I sometimes sell him short in what I think he is capable of doing, and that I need to have more faith in him and give him room to make mistakes... and just be ready to catch him if he falls, but also be willing to let him fly! It was a bittersweet revelation, if that makes any sense...

Secondly, we recently had his bi-annual dental cleaning - which he was actually excited about. We talk about it for about a week ahead of time so he's not 'surprised' when the day comes. He was VERY excited about getting his teeth cleaned! He got up in that chair like it was nothing! He opened is mouth big, he even let her put the chair all the way back AND use the light! He was wonderful the entire time! It was like a different child had accompanied me to the office! He was even ASKING to have films done! Mind you, we were finally able to get films at his LAST appointment after 3 years of trying previously! And it was a HUGE battle! He did so wonderfully, and I am so proud of him. The revelation here is how much personal progress he has made - self control, self confidence, and the ability to TRUST that everything is going to be okay despite his anxiety otherwise. It's really amazing what 6 months at home with mom will do I guess!!! He did so well that we are going to try and do sealants on his 4 adult molars - we're going to 'paint' his teeth - and he's on board with it as long as there are no shots in his teeth...lol.

Math is still a daily struggle. It's the ONLY subject he is resistant to, and almost dreads. The revelation here is that Noah has ALWAYS done things in his own way and in his own time - why should this be any different?

Bottom line - I am SO PROUD of all he has accomplished, and it is so rewarding to see him growing in these ways! YAY!

Under the Weather

2008-09-30T08:37:00.000-04:00

Noah and I have been under the weather the last few days.... alright he was actually pretty sick and gave it to me - so now he's recovering and got energy and I'm dragging. Anyway - I was playing on Facebook while waiting for the library to open, and I don't follow Dr. Phil OR Oprah, I find them annoying and just... BLECH. But when I saw this quiz I said all right, how accurate can it be? Well... boy was I in for a surprise - see for yourself!

Your Result: The Lively Center of Attention - Bad result? Click here to take the quiz again!
Others see you as fresh, lively, charming, amusing, practical, and always interesting; someone who's constantly in the center of attention, but sufficiently well-balanced not one to let it go to their head. They also see you as kind, considerate, and understanding; someone who'll always cheer them up and help them out.

Who knew I could be summed up so easily in less than 4 minutes... (sigh).
Other things I learned about me this morning...
My best quality is WISDOM - who knew?
If I were a dog in another life it would be a MALTESE - okay, I can see that...
If I were an 80's movie it would be the PRINCESS BRIDE - one of my favorites, ROCK ON!
And if I were a Disney Princess it would be... CINDERELLA! Haha! Sweet!
My REAL age is 30 (pretty cool I shaved off a couple years!)
Oh, and I know how to appropriately use they're, their, and there - good news since I'm a transcriptionist, eh?
My American Accent is northern... indigenous to New York State and the Great Lakes Region...well DUH! There's a big surprise!
If I were a musical I would be Wicked (huh?)
And my heart is the color...Pink! What a surprise huh... here's the description...Your Result: The Pink Heart is compassionate, empathetic, imaginative, sensitive, mystical, spiritual, dreamy, passive, easy-going, idealistic, visionary, inspirational, accepting, undiscriminating, charitable, believes in soul growth, self-sacrificing and artistic. They can also sometimes be distracted, detached, illusory, impractical, gullible, neglectful, escapist and lazy.
So can you tell I'm bored with no energy or what? Only another hour until the library opens...

GREAT news from Congress! YAHOOO!!!

2008-09-27T08:44:00.001-04:00

Please feel free to redistribute and share this ADAAA post, as long as you give credit to COPAA.

Today, the ADA Amendments Act (ADAAA), S.3406,was signed into law.The ADAAA overturns a decade of jurisprudence that has barred the door to ADA eligibility for many people with disabilities, including epilepsy, diabetes, intellectual and developmental disabilities, muscular dystrophy, and cancer, among many others. The reforms in the law will apply to both the ADA and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. The reforms will restore the intent of the bipartisan Congress that passed the ADA in 1990. At the same time, the bill is a compromise, as much legislation is.

As you know, COPAA has worked in support of this important bill. The ADAAA will take effect in January 2009. COPAA will be providing more information about the ADAAA and its impact on Section 504 in the near future. We thank Senators Harkin and Hatch, and HELP Chair Senator Kennedy and Ranking Member Senator Enzi for their leadership. We also thank the many members of Congress who supported the bill, and the broad coalition of disability and employer groups who worked so hard for its passage.

Below are more details on the ADAAA for those who are interested. It is important to understand that the ADA and Section 504 define disability in a similar way, and therefore, ADA case law is applicable to 504 cases. Because the harmful ADA cases were also applicable to 504, the reforms apply to both laws.

These reforms include the following highlights.
First, the ADAAA overturns in large part the Supreme Court's decisionin Sutton v. United Airlines,which held that people with disabilities were not eligible under the ADA if their conditions could be mitigated by medication, assistive technology and equipment, or learned behavioral adaptations.
The law also overturns Sutton's holding that a disability must limit more than one major life activity. Moreover, the bill will clarify that major life activities include working, communicating, concentrating, thinking, reading, and other activities of central importance. Although Sutton arose in the ADA context, its holding was equally applicable to 504 cases, and thus, the override is made applicable to 504..

When Congress passed the ADA in 1990, it intended to protect people whose disabilities 'substantially' limit them from performing major life activities. But the Supreme Court in Toyota v. Williams interpreted this term very narrowly and turned into a barrier to ADA eligibility, requiring that the person be severely restricted in his/her ability to perform major life activities.

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission similarly defined the term as 'significantly restricted.' Again, although Toyota was an ADA case, its holding was also applicable to 504. The ADAAA overrides Toyota for both the ADA and 504. It states in its findings that the Supreme Court in Toyota, and the EEOC in its regulations, set the standard too high by defining 'substantially limited' to require that the restriction be 'significant,' or 'severe.'

The Senate bill will thus restore the standard Congress intended—that the impairment simply be a substantial limitation. This finding is particularly important and we will be giving more guidance about it in the future.The ADAAA further states that the ADA must be interpreted to give full force and effect to these findings.

The ADAAA Statement of Senate Managers explains what 'substantiallylimited' means, emphasizing the same language that Congress used in 1990:
A person is considered an individual with a disability for purposesof the first prong of the definition when [one or more of] theindividual's important life activities are restricted as to the conditions, manner, or duration under which they can be performed in comparison to most people. A person who can walk for 10 miles continuously is not substantially limited in walking merely because on the eleventh mile he or she begins to experience pain because most people would not be able to walk eleven miles without experiencing some discomfort.

In addition to these reforms, the ADAAA removes from ADA's "regarded as" prong of the disability definition the requirement that an individual demonstrate that he or she has, or is perceived to have, an impairment that substantially limits a major life activity. There are other reforms in the bill, as well. Like the House legislative history, the Senate legislative history makes clear merely because someone with a specific learning disability can perform well academically does not mean that he/she may not also be substantially limited in the major life activities of learning, reading, writing, thinking, and speaking.

Of course, the person would still need to establish that he/she was substantiallyl imited in this manner and that he/she needed reasonable accommodations. The legislative history also makes clear that the11th Circuit in Littletonv. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. was incorrect to decide that a person with mental retardation was not disabled because he could drive a car and communicate with words.

Importantly for children with disabilities, the ADAAA applies equallyto 504. Unlike the situation with employment, most school districts appropriately applied the law to 504 eligibility questions, and accommodated a range of students with disabilities. Thus, the ADAAA will not make any substantial changes in what most districts already do. But the law provides an important remedy for those children who have inappropriately been denied 504 eligibility. COPAA had received reports of some school districts denying 504 eligiblity to children with diabetes, life-threatening food allergies, learning disabilities, ADHD, Aspergers Syndrome, and other disabilities.

For example, one school district argued that because a 6 yo with a life-threatening nut allergy could care for himself about as well as other 6 yos, and because he could breathe just fine when not suffering from anaphylaxis, he wasn't substantially limited and didn't have a disability under 504.

Other 504 situations involved children with disabilities who are unable to obtain 504 plans with appropriate behavioral supports and access to appropriately challenging schoolwork. In the ADAAA, Congress made clear that no child should have the door to 504 shut because of old, outdated ADA case law that a bipartisan consensus agreed should be changed. The ADA aspects of the ADAAA are also increasingly relevant as youth with disabilities transition from school into the world of employment.

The ADAAA is a bipartisan law that represents a significant achievement in protecting the rights of children and adults with disabilities. Again, it will be effective in January 2009. Thus, if in January 2009, a child would be entitled to reasonable accommodations under 504, even though he previously was not because of a mitigating measure or he was not considered "substantially limited," the law will protect him.

Further information about the law will be provided later and we are sure many organizations will be providing information.You can retrieve a copy of the ADAAA (S.3406) by going to www.congress.gov, and typing S.3406 into the search box. Select the bill that says S.3406.ENR.

Please feel free to redistribute and share this post, as long as yougive credit to COPAA

Detroit News Article Part 2

2008-09-19T08:22:00.001-04:00

Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Breaking educational stereotypes
School of choice: Parents opt to teach kids at home for growing list of reasons
Candice Williams and Karen Bouffard / The Detroit News
LAKE ORION -- Lake Orion resident Sydney Forsythe wasn't pleased with how her son Noah, 8, who is developmentally delayed, was moved between mainstream and special education classes in public school. So she brought him home to teach him herself.
"He doesn't fit into the special ed cookie cutter, but at the same time he certainly doesn't fit into the mainstream cookie cutter," she said. "There's no in-between, and he started regressing. The teachers do what they can, within reason, but with budget restrictions in the district there is only so much they can provide."
While experts say most parents who homeschool do so for religious reasons, an increasing number of Metro Detroit families are making the same choice for reasons beyond the stereotype.

Homeschooling has emerged as a growing option for families of children like Noah who have special learning needs; are academically or athletically gifted; suffer from health problems; or just don't fit the mold of traditional public schools, experts say. And with the growth of cooperative learning groups as well as support groups on the Internet, homeschooling has become a less isolating endeavor, some say.
Severe food allergies are among the reasons Macomb Township resident Kimberly Fanelli homeschools daughters Sofia, 8, and Emilia, 6. The girls have celiac disease, which affects the small intestine. They have to avoid products with wheat, rye, barley and oats -- even crumbs.
"It's more difficult to control in the traditional school setting," she said. "It's scary because their health is in someone else's hands. At the school they were at they were doing everything they could, but there's only so much you can do."
Nationally, there is broad agreement across the homeschool community "that there are more and more people coming into the homeschool movement without a religious motivation," said Ian Slatter, director of media relations for Percival, Va.-based Home School Legal Defense Association.
The association is Christian-based, but "we're seeing people who simply want to give their children a better education. They may have a religious faith, but that's not their driving reason."
Still, the homeschool movement remains dominated by evangelical Christians, Slatter believes. He said it's nearly impossible to accurately assess how many children are homeschooled, because people tend to pull their children in and out of homeschooling -- leaving the number constantly in flux. But he estimates about 55 percent of homeschoolers are from evangelical Christian homes, compared with about 60 percent five years ago.
In Michigan, homeschoolers are not officially tracked -- although some state lawmakers want to require parents to register their homeschooled students with the state to allow for a clearer count.
For the Ouellette family of Madison Heights, religion does play a major role in their decision to homeschool. But Tricia Ouellette, who homeschools her children, Jeremey, 12, Jacob, 9, Joseph, 7, and Julia, 5, says she's found other benefits to teaching her children at home, including tailoring education for each of her children. She can also be mindful of their penicillin and latex allergies.
Jacob Ouellette, 9, relaxes for a bit before eating breakfast with his three siblings and then it's time for school -- taught by his mom, around the dining room table.
"I like it better than going to school," said Jacob Ouellette. "The only thing I don't like is the homework."
Web-based classes make it possible for competitive gymnast Caitlyn Ciokajlo, of Brooklyn, Mich., near Jackson, to study at home -- or on the road -- via computer.
Caitlyn has her eyes set on a full athletic scholarship to a Division 1 university, said her mom, Stacy Ciokajlo.
"This is as close you can be to an actual school, without the building," Stacy Ciokajlo said.
Homeschooling is not without its challenges, said Karen Selby, associate professor and chairwoman of the Department of Education at University of Detroit Mercy.
"The number one issue that faces parents on homeschooling is figuring out what's worth teaching, what's worth my student understanding," she said. To help ease the transition to homeschooling, many parents are turning to the Internet and support groups to share experiences and offer guidance.
Some groups work together to teach some of the tougher classes based on a parent's strong suit, Selby said. Other groups hire out instructors with specialties. Programs like the Enrichment Hub in Troy offer classes including American Sign Language, karate, guitar, science lab, ballet and Spanish.
The private Clonlara School in Ann Arbor operates both a private campus school that children attend daily and a homeschooling program that offers guidance, record-keeping and documentation for about 1,000 homeschoolers.
Admissions associate Karen Thurman said the number of families who homeschool their children has "exploded" in recent years.
"They're not (all) homeschooling because they have a deep commitment to a religious belief," said Chandra Montgomery-Nicol, Clonlara's executive director. "A lot feel they want the support of the school without the interference of the school."

My Grandpa

2008-09-19T08:22:00.000-04:00

http://www.local-edition.com/content/?p=238
I am going to try to post the actual player, but above is the link to an interview my Grandpa did.
I am so proud of you Grandpa Odie!
xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxxo

Detroit News Article Part 1

2008-09-09T10:23:00.000-04:00

Tuesday, September 9, 2008
As more homeschool, state could track kids
Mich. among 10 states that don't keep tabs; some parents wary of proposal
Candice Williams / The Detroit News
LAKE ORION -- School is just at the bottom of the stairs every morning for Haley Gernet.
The 15-year-old Lake Orion girl is among an increasing number of students nationwide and in Metro Detroit who are being taught at home, a trend that has some state lawmakers interested in knowing more about exactly how many Michigan families are choosing homeschooling and why.
A bill pending in the state House would require Michigan families, for the first time, to register their homeschooled children with their local school district superintendent by name, age and grade level. Backers say it's the only way to get an accurate picture of the number of students being educated in Michigan.
Advertisement

But Gernet's mother, Tarla -- who also homeschooled daughter Deanna, 18, now a computer programming student at Baker College -- is skeptical about the state's motives. She fears the new legislation could intrude on the freedom that's at the heart of the homeschooling philosophy.
"I think it would be a slippery slope, and we don't want to get on that," Tarla Gernet said.
Kimberly Fanelli of Macomb Township, who has homeschooled her two elementary-age daughters for about a year, says she has mixed feelings about the bill.
"On the surface it doesn't seem intrusive, but I think it's step one to regulation with someone telling you what you need to do to educate your child," she said.
Michigan is among 10 states that do not track homeschoolers; others monitor them at varying levels.
The only homeschoolers required to register with the Michigan Department of Education are families that receive special-education services, said department spokeswoman Jan Ellis.
Rep. Brenda Clack, D-Flint, said she introduced the bill earlier this year to allow for a complete picture of the number of students being educated in Michigan. Clack taught in the Flint school district for 32 years.
The bill is not meant to intrude on parents and the way they teach their children, Clack said.
"There's this fear out there from especially those that are homeschooling that there is going to be an infringement, that this will lead to something else," she said.
"As a former educator, all I need is accountability in terms of numbers of students being educated."
Many children who are homeschooled in their elementary years transfer to public schools in middle or high school "because they want to be mainstreamed with everyone else," Clack said. But without any accountability as to the "number of students that are being homeschooled, it could pose a problem in the future. (Registering) gives information for districts to plan in the future, even the building of new schools."
Clack said the bill, which has 23 co-sponsors, is awaiting discussion in the House Education Policy Committee. It is not clear whether the bill will get attention this session, because the committee is focused on schools that aren't meeting federal academic standards, said Rep. Tim Melton, D-Auburn Hills, committee chairman.
"We're fully focused on the schools that are failing," he said. The bill will need to be reintroduced if it's not acted on by the end of the year, but Clack -- who is term-limited -- said she believes her co-sponsors will carry on.
Homeschool advocates say testing has borne out their contention that children taught at home do as well as, or better than, their peers in traditional schools.
Studies show that, on average, homeschooled students score 15 percent to 30 percent higher on standardized tests than their public school counterparts, said Brian Ray, director of the National Home Education Research Institute, a nonprofit organization based in Salem, Ore.
"I'd say there are a lot of reasons why they score higher," he said. "In homeschooling, the parents get to customize each student's curriculum to address their learning style, dreams and interest. There is more interaction between teacher and child. The student does it at his own pace and does it until he learns it."
Metro Detroit organizations that support homeschooling say their numbers are on the rise.
The Macomb County Christian Homeschoolers, for example, has increased from 40 to 227 families -- most new to homeschooling -- since its inception four years ago, and the number keeps growing.
In Oakland County, participation in Enrichment Hub, a homeschool support group, has jumped from 42 to 98 families in a three-year period. Home School Connections in Rochester, which provides a la carte classes to homeschool families, has expanded the 14 classes it offered five years ago for 65 students to 50 classes for 225 students.
The number of children homeschooled nationally also has increased, said the Virginia-based Home School Legal Defense Association, from 1.1 million to 2 million since 2003, and it continues to grow at a rate of about 7 percent each year, said Jeremiah Lorrig, deputy director of the association's federal relations.
Parents homeschool their children for a variety of reasons, Lorrig said, including frustration over failing public schools, the high cost of private schools or the desire to include religious instruction alongside academics.
Fanelli, who homeschools daughters Sofia, 8, and Emilia, 6, chose to do so because it allows her to give them more individual attention and manage their food allergies. The girls previously attended a Christian school.
"I dedicated a whole room (of the house)" to teaching, said Fanelli, a stay-at-home mom with a degree in health systems management.
"They have all of their books and little tables. They have posters of their own interests and artwork on the walls."
Homeschooling is a big undertaking, but it can work, she said. She asked her parents, both of whom were public school teachers, for advice.
"This past year has been the most rewarding year of my life as a mother," she said.
"My children experienced more and learned more."
You can reach Candice Williams at (586) 468-0529 or cwilliams@detnews.com.

FREEBIES!

2008-09-08T08:22:00.000-04:00

I LOVE LOVE LOVE this website. It's one of the first resources we found when we started homeschooling and they have a new free resource every DAY for FREE download! They'll even send you a "heads up" email on Mondays with the week's schedules so you can make yourself a reminder of the days to go and download.
We really have gleaned SO MUCH information from this site! You should definitely check it out!
www.homeschoolfreebieoftheday.com

It rocks!
Enjoy!

Website of the Week

2008-09-05T17:28:00.001-04:00

www.mygreatkid.com

So awesome it's going to take a week to process everything that's available!

My current "ME" time

2008-09-04T09:01:00.001-04:00

As silly as this sounds... some days my "me" time is doing laudry in the nice quiet, cool basement. No dogs, no Noah. Just me and the fresh clean scent of the laundry!!! Now that's only 15 minutes at a time... but on a really bad day, that's 15 minutes of deep breathing and uninterupted thought!
I also quilt at the kitchen table, so it's me time but I'm still available to my family :) Also, planting flowers, picking weeds.... and I LOVE LOVE LOVE the Special mom's dinner each month. Not only is it me time, but it also allows me to connect with other moms who share the same types of frustrations! And it's great to just laugh!
Sometimes I will put headphones on and listen to music at my PC while I do email or blog or get info for lessons... I totally consider that me time - but it's productive me time. I think that's where my biggest challenge is, I have a hard time carving out "me" time that isn't Productive. When I'm sewing I'm producing something, and then there's laundry - and listening to music. So maybe I'm not such a great example???? My hubby travels a lot and sometimes works long hours so it's tough to take classes that I'm interested in becuase of the inconsistency. OH - the library! Noah goes off to play at the library and I'm able to sit in the quiet area and read - that's definitely ME time!

Back on Track

2008-09-03T08:30:00.000-04:00

Okay, so now that mom's past the paranoid part of being a special mom we're back on track with getting on with our life ... albeit a bit more cautiously and with added prayers!!

So this week Monday was a wash with daddy being home for the holiday. Tuesday was a nightmare... someone had a really big stick up his rear. Overtired perhaps? Who knows. We did manage to make it to the HS Connections book sale so he could play at the park, and the Library, so all was not lost.

Today is starting off MUCH better :) We've got OT with Mr. Andy and then I've got to have a PT eval after that for my right arm. Turns out building a fence isn't always a great idea???
But we end the day on a high note with Craft Nite! Whoohooo! So while mom plays with Melena, Noah can play with the boys.

Thursday we'll do some more math and reading before heading off to Meadows meeting (SUPER EXCITED), and Friday is left as a catchall kind of day. Hoping to start some work on our Michigan Lapbook on Friday.

Saturday is Home Depot build it day and then we have a dilemma - we have to choose between doing the Wolcott Farm thing and the Rochester Arts and Apples thing. Doing both will just be overload for Noah!

So now that life is returning to a normal pace, Hopefully I can blog about some fun stuff! For now, the good news is Dave and Melena are all settled into their new home - which is only 4 blocks away! YAY!

Holding Ground

2008-08-27T15:54:00.000-04:00

So yesterday Noah woke up and was 'blue' (gray) around his lips. So of course I automatically start freaking out since this hasn't happened since before his last open heart surgery... which means I completely forget to check his pigs and fingers and breathing and heart rates... which also means I call the pediatric cardiology office in a speed talking race to information on what do I do? Also completely forgetting I'M OLD HAT AT THIS!!!!

So I'm thinking... maybe it's just me, I mean - I see him every day, maybe he's really not changing colors... so I make a quick appt with our chiropracter becuase #1, he's just up the street; #2 he's completely objective, #3 there's no co-pay and he can still be considered a medical advisor. So upon asking him how Noah looks today he says..."Well, he's a little gray around the mouth..." So I call the pediatric cardiology office back - since the first time they didn't answer the phone and I had to leave a message - and I get Babette who assures me she JUST gave my message to the nurse and she'll be calling us back any minute. Well, Tuesday is OT at Beaumont day (until next week when we switch to Wednesdays) and I thought - that's a great place to go, we're supposed to be there anyway and it's FULL of doctors and nurses, even a cardiac clinic! So I'm shaking and I don't even remember the drive really becuase the worst possible scenario is running through my head (which involves heart transplant)... So we safely get to Beaumont and the cardiology nurse calls back. She calmly asks me to check his toes and fingers (which are both fine) his breathing (which was a little labored, but he's been sneezing and a little stuffy with fall season change beginning), and his heart rate (which was fine). So she advised me that he's probably fine, just taxed... has he had a lot of physical activity lately, especially out in the heat?????????

That's when the DUH! BONG goes off in my head... could it possibly have anything to do with the 15 FOOT TRAMPOLINE I BOUGHT HIM THAT"S SITTING IN THE BACKYARD WHICH HE SPENDS MOST OF THE DAY ON!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?

GOSH do I feel stupid!!! He loves Loves LOVES it... but I'm going to have to limit the time he spends on it every day to 2 half hour sessions I think.... it's just too much for him. (sad face). He does SO MUCH like regular kids that I sometimes forget he's NOT a regular kid. Poor lil guy. So we're having a few "quiet" days so mom can make sure he's okay. So for the moment we're holding ground. Basically I'm trying to recover from my self induced stress. So I'm cleaning the basement :) Good therapy eh? Cheap AND productive!

In good news - we've started our 'official' homeschool work, and Noah's doing really great. He worked hard for 30 minutes straight on Monday, and 50 minutes straight on WRITING and Composition on Tuesday!!! Way to go buddy! Today he has spent a LOT of time reading independently out of small chapter books, and also on Nick Jr/Noggin online. We've also done some painting :).... but he REALLY just wants to jump.

So, in closing today, if you all could send extra prayers his way - I sure would appreciate it!

A Poem for Different Kids

2008-08-16T09:10:00.000-04:00

Different Like Me
By Kathleen Freeman

My name is Thomas and I'm different you see,
But a whole lot of others are different like me.
There are kids different colors and kids different sizes,
Kids who win contests and kids who win prizes.
Kids good at math, science, spelling or reading,
Kids good with drawing, at games, or at beading.
There are kids who catch baseballs, and kids not so fast,
Kids scared of nighttime, or dreams from their past.
There are kids who feel squashed when their pants are too tight,
And kids who feel itchy when a tag isn't right.
There are kids who will wiggle, both sons and daughters,
There are kids who are thinkers, designers and plotters.
There are kids who spin round, or jiggle their hands,
And kids who have crowded teeth in bands.
There are kids who dance, and kids who sing,
Kids who learn about most everything.
Some are in wheelchairs and some kids get sick,
That's just how we are, and we don't get to pick.
And some kids remember and some kids forget,
Some kids are glued to their TV set.
Some kids read maps, and some don't, I bet.
That's how we were made, and you get what you get.
Some kids pretend, and some like things real,
But really it isn't that big of a deal.
My name is Thomas and I'm different they say,
My friends are all too, and I like it that way.

Books, Books, Books

2008-08-13T08:22:00.000-04:00

Here is a list (by all means not exhaustive) of great books...

FOR HOMESCHOOLING:

A Charlotte Mason Education
Beginning With the End in Mind
Educating the Whole Hearted Child by Clay Clarkson
How Do I Teach this Kid by Kimberly Henry
The Archeological Study Bible
The Mystery of History Series
The Story of The World Series
History Through the Ages Series
Boxes for Katje
The Cats in Krasnski Square
Baby in a Basket
Truman's Ant Farm
Library Sparks Magazine
Do Hard Things by Steve Demme
Any Usborne internet linked books!!!
National Geographic for Kids
Condisering God's Creation
Galloping the Globe by Loree Pettit
Cantering the Country by Loree Petit
Eat Your Way Across the USA by Loree Petit
It's Disgusting and We Ate It
A World of Adventure
The Garden Path
All Through the Ages Guide by Christine Miller
The Organized Homeschooler by Vicki Carvana
The Last Christian Generation by Josh McDowell

REGARDING HAVING A SPECIAL NEEDS CHILD:

The Mislabeled Child by Eide
The Way They Learn by Tobias
Awakening Children's Minds by Berk
Understanding Your Child's Puzzling Behavoir
A Parents Guide: Helping a Child with Nonverbal Learning Disorder to Asburger's Syndrome
The Out of Sync Child by Kranowitz
The Out of Sync Child Has Fun by Kranowitz
Sensational Kids by Miller
The Well Trained Heart by Reish
Starting Sensory Integration Therapy by Arnwine
A Mind At A Time by Levine
7 Keys to Comprehension by Zimmermann
Brain Gym by Dennison
The Parents Guide to Learning Disabilities by McCarney

JUST FOR FUN: becuase you've got to take care of you too!
Anything by Janet Evanovich - she's a halarious mystery writer!
The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown - for an intense adventure

Does your child suffer from anxiety??

2008-08-12T09:36:00.000-04:00

I thought I would post this here, it's something I found at Jack's Place for Autism hosted by Oakland University, and I thought it might be helpful for so many others out there!

Which of these does your child experience?
How does your child express his anxiety?
What supports/techniques have to reduce anxiety for your child?

Types of Anxiety

1. Anxiety of uncertainty: Fear of anything new or unfamiliar, seeks sameness; can be controlling and oppositional.

2. Social anxiety: Interacting with others, participating in social events; fear of not knowing how to act or fit in. The stronger the desire to fit in, the greater the anxiety.

3. Performance anxiety: Perfectionism; fear of being wrong; asking them questions or prompting to do something. Any demand for performance puts them on the spot.

4. Anticipatory anxiety: Becomes anxious over an upcoming event; either good or bad; ruminate/perseverate on upcoming event.

5. Sensory/informational overload: Becomes anxious in settings that present strong sensory stimulation, or informational processing demands.

6. Defused generalized anxiety: An ongoing, pervasive anxiety that is not connected to a specific event. Seems to always be apprehensive and insecure.

Sometimes it's so hard to figure out what's going on with our kiddos - anxiety is not something I have in the past given a whole lot of thought to - until the last year or so. I found this helpful and hope you (or someone you know) will too!

Hugs All Around!!

My oh My Monday!

2008-08-11T08:16:00.000-04:00

Okay - I love Mondays... Monday is the day we look at the week ahead - so for prosperity I'm going to try and record these here! So here we go!

Today:
Allergy shots, chiropractor, make zuchini bread (from garden), lay out mom's king size quilt so I can cut sashing, make homeschool ID cards, Vision Thearpy, E-hub Mom's group (don't forget to bring cirriculum! and a snack - perhaps zuchini bread!) check olympics, Call Doug @ Lifetime Fitness to check on homeschool gym classes this fall!

Tuesday:
OT
THE WIGGLES LIVE!
Special Mom's Dinner Out!

Wednesday:
Sewing Class, Read to a Dog, check olympics, Bedtime story at the Library

Thursday:
Rightstart Math, Recipe for Reading, check olympics, Moms quilting class

Friday:
Rightstart Math, Recipe for Reading, maybe a movie (Nim's Island), check olympics

Saturday:
Library Summer Reading Finale, Special Families BBQ

Sunday:
Family Reunion

Not too bad of a week actually!!! Sweet!

2008-08-10T19:41:00.000-04:00

Duuuuuuuuuuuudee....HAVE A GREAT DAY!!!

Welcome to Today !!

2008-08-10T10:43:00.000-04:00

Well this is my first official Blog. As the title says, buckle up and HOLD ON! Because who knows where this will take us!!

Thanks for joining me on this journey, I can't wait to get started! Fire it up BABY!! WHOHOOOOOOOOOO!