Lost in Transition

It isn't the mountain ahead that wears you out-

it's the grain of sand in your shoe.

We have been waiting to go to our transition meeting with the school for our #1 Son for high school. We had a meeting. I don't know if it was a true transition meeting.  It was more like take this option and only this option. It is a extremely restrictive option.  I chafe at this even though I know this is perhaps the best option. The school acts like they have handed my son this very golden ticket to this very restrictive school (invitation only).  I get skeptical when people describe the physical location instead on what happens inside. Seriously, the school is in a very pretty spot but that didn't need to be emphasized to me as many times. I get it. I worry about what he has to give up and I realize he already given up so much. I just worry.  This kind of parenting isn't for sissies. This 8th grade year has been rocky both socially and emotionally.  Puberty and Aspergers isn't a really good combo.

The options are limited. It is frustrating to say the least. I know this Asperger's mountain I have to climb with my son but the grains of sand are more like pebbles.  I feel like I have so much sand in my shoe that it weighs as much as a cement block. We are trudging along here. I know I am not alone .  They estimate 1 in 88 kids have some type of Autism.  These sand/pebbles have just toughened me up.  I hope it has made me wiser about the hard choices I have to make for my son and ultimately my family.

I hate there seems to be some kind of code of silence that parents with behavior problems have to keep.  Yeah, I am the parent with one of those kids. This is hard stuff and maintaining the silence doesn't help anyone least of all my kid. I am the first to admit I don't get my kid. Though there are moments I totally get it.  I totally get what led to his perception of the situation and the resulting behavior.  I wish I could stop the bad behavior. This post by Outrunning the Storm describes the voices or the scripts running in my head perfectly everytime my kid messes up.

There could be a lot more honesty from the school district on what options are available for kids like my kid.  I am left feeling like if we had only done this earlier.  Why now? It seems like a child has to fail before alternatives happen.  Then it is a crisis situation.  Delayed intervention doesn't help anyone and costs us all.

Today I go visit the school that our district wants to place him. I want it to be what it is touted to be. I don't want to be disappointed once again.  I want it to be a successful place for my kid. I want to trust so badly but my trust of the system has been broken. I don't want it to be another rock in my shoe.  I don't want my kid to be lost in this transition.
  

Almost Skateboard Swing Update

Our almost skateboard swing has had many modifications.  The original idea came from a pinterest pin. You most certainly could use the deck of a skateboard.  Our plywood platform is wider which is great for our older kids. I get lots of hits on this original post.   This probably more accurately can be called a platform swing. This is what it looks like now. The handles are from a wooden closet rod. 

The kids kept wearing the rope through so my hubby installed eye bolts.

Our very short Canadian Vacation

Boundary Bay

Yesterday, we went on a day trip to Canada.  We hoped to make it all the way to Point Roberts, WA.  The line up to get into Point Roberts for Customs was just too long.  We did have a grand old time of geo cache around Tsawwassen. No good Canadian trip would be complete without some Timbits.  I think it is mandatory that you stop at Tim Horton's. You knew I would somehow work this whole trip into something about donuts.

We also really enjoyed walking around Boundary Bay Regional Park and Centennial Beach. There is an awesome path for walkers, bikes, and dogs along the bay. This is another time when I wish we would of brought our bikes.We saw lots of different birds and bald eagles. I can see why this is a prime bird watching area.

Duck Butts just because that is a funny caption.

The kids thought this square concrete cutout looked like a Hobo House.  I don't know where they got that from.

We saw these cocoon's covered in little caterpillars hanging from trees. Not sure what to make of these. The picture really doesn't do it justice.

We also checked out park in Tsawwassen called Difenbaker Park. We found a geocache here.  I would like to go back and play here.  They have a really neat Rotary Waterworks Playground that just opened last year.  It looks like a great splash park.  The park had a really neat pond and waterfall too.

#1 Son walking along pond

We completed our day with a First to Find geocache.  This is the 2nd time our time has been the first to find a recently placed geocache.  This one was called one way rock cache and involved looking for a small container located in a rock wall. This was back in the USA. All in all not a bad day and a great way to end our day.

 

Voices in my Head

I am one of those people who get songs, jingles, and commercials stuck in my head.  This commercial has been replaying constantly. The commercial is Road Trip for Honda Pilot.

My husband pointed out that this is actually an Ozzy Osbourne song, "Crazy Train".  So of course, I had to listen to that version too.  How sad is that I actually like the commercial rendition better. There is literally a crazy train in my head.

Summer List

I am linking up to Ali Edwards Summer Manifesto linky party.

We are a ways off before school ends in our neck of the woods.  We go until June 21st.  ***Edited to add link for our official 2012 Summer list. This is the never ending school year.  I have one child that the year should of ended yesterday. (LOL)

Every year we make a summer list of things we hope to do during the summer. I put things on the list and my kids put things on the list.  I think it is important to have plans. I have older kids and I am a stay at home mom. They aren't quite ready to commit to making a list. Here is our rather unglamorous list from 2011.  Here are some things I hope to include on our list for 2012.

1. Geocache- Yes, we have have a geocaching addiction at our house.  We would like to make the 400 cache milestone this summer.  Our team name is the 2 man wrecking crew.

2. Have a Travel Bug Race. There will be a prize for the travel bug that travels the most miles.  We also will be tracking where our bug visits. We have decided the bug owner with the most miles gets a Blizzard. 

3. Make a trip to Colorado to visit Grandma and Grandpa.

4. Ride the Hiawatha Trail. I think will be able to do this on the way to Grandpa and Grandma's. I have wanted to do this for the longest time.  There should be a lot of shock and awe when they see fat woman on bike. 

5. Pajama Ride- This is an idea I got from some Moms at MOPS.  When everyone is in their pajamas, you declare a pj ride for ice cream.  We do this every once in a while.  It is a very big hit.

6. Have an adventure.  For many years we have gone with my friend Mrs Epi on some day trip adventures or misadventures in her adventure van.  The van has been sold but we still have the adventures. Here is one of our adventures. It is great to be a tourist in your own backyard

7. Have a fire.  We are lucky to have a fire pit in our back yard.  Hopefully we will roast some marshmallows.

8. beach comb - We keep hoping we will find some Japanese trash. Though if some of the reports are true maybe we don't want to find any Japanese trash as there might be human remains.  Our friend Bones probably should lay off the beach combing.

9. Library Reading Program - It is tradition and it keeps the kids reading during the summer.  My youngest will probably be the only one doing this year.  The theme this year is Dream Big - Read at our library. This starts June 9th. They have some really great free summer programs.

10. Hang out - The great thing about summer is that not everything needs to be scheduled.

A little visitor

This morning we had this little fellow in our yard.  He hung out for quite a while.

Totally Double Digits

My little guy turns 10 today.  I can't believe he is one decade old.  Chuckles plays hard and has a lot heart.  All he asked for today was warm lemon cake and beanie weenies.  That cracks me up.  He kept saying," Do know those little hot dogs?   I want those. " He also wanted to have a family party.  I love that!

Sweet Note

Yesterday my boys received this sweet 2 sided note from our 5 year old neighbor.  I just had to share.

Some journaling by Mom included

I loved that she showed them walkie talkies as the kids have been playing with them.

linky love

M & M's up the Nose
Can't look way, can you?
Big E

Thought I would give a little linky love

Persuasion by Teacher Tom is great look at preschoolers and persuasion but how adults can teach kids the art of persuasion. I also liked his "I Hope you Have".  I have boys and this spoke to me.

My friend Carol is an AMAZING writer.  I particularly like(love) this post - Anniversary.

Proof of my Obsession

I am desperately addicted to folding my plastic bags into triangles.  It is a little sad. I found this out via pinterest and Paper Pony.   Try it and you will become addicted too.

Koi Fish

I saw this tutorial on drawing Koi Fish at SmART Class.  So, the Diva and I gave it a shot.  I thought they turned out really amazing. 

The Diva's

I just realized I forgot the top fin.  Oh, well.

Mine

Booking it - May

I am joining Life as Mom in her Booking It party.  Check out what others are reading. I am little bit late to this party but I thought I would share anyways.

I keep getting drawn to the biography section.  I picked up Hope's Boy by Andrew Bridge.  It is a story about a boy who eventually ends up in the foster system.  Hope is his Mom.  Andrew Bridge later goes onto to be an advocate for foster kids working to change the system.  I marvel at Andy's resilience.  I feel incredibly sad that this system for foster kids is still really broken.

The Kitchen House by Kathleen Grissom had been recommended several times to me. This was a hard one to put down. Basically a story told by two narrators both slaves one white and one black.

Once again the New Reads Section at the Library sucked me in.  I picked up Hey, America, Your Roots Are Showing by Megan Smolenyak.  Megan Smolenyak is a genealogist.  Her website calls her a genealogical adventurer.  I would say that is a good fit along with history detective. This whole book is stories about various research she has done as a genealogist.  I had a hard time putting it down.  It was fascinating.  It will inspire to do your own genealogical research.  At the beginning of April the 1940's census was released.  I was able to find my Grandfather, Grandmother, and Aunt.  It was fascinating and addicting. We are big fans of the show "Who do you think you Are?" NBC. She is involved in that show as well.

40 in the Crosshairs

Today is the Giant Man Child's 40th Birthday.  Wishing you all the best in your 40th year!

HAPPY Happy 40th Birthday!

3rd Birthday

Mini Quilt

The Diva has been spending a lot of time cutting out little squares for a quilt.  We finally sewed it together.  She did 99% of the sewing.  She did awesome. This was her first time making a quilt.  I think it turned out cute.  It is for her stuffed animal, Mousey.

top of quilt

back of quilt

Beach Wanderings

We spent some time on the beach this past Saturday.  We actually explored a section of beach we had never been on.   We came across this beach hut.  It was called the footprint fort.

Below is a sign on the front. 

It reminded me of another fort/hut.  Way back in '96.  Boy that really dates me.  The Giant Man Child and I were walking around the beach near Big Sur and we came across this elaborate beach hut.  I am standing next to the hut.

Super Moon

The Giant Man Child took this pic of the Super Moon.  It was incredibly bright.  Check out more stats about the super moon here.