It's been too long.

I am still coming down from my SITS high. It was seriously overwhelming but SO wonderful. I finished up commenting everyone that came and visited my blog (aside from those of you that I couldn't comment due to privacy or whatever - there was actually a few that wouldn't let me comment for some unknown reason).

During my hiatus I totally forgot how much I enjoy blogging, giving comment love and receiving comment love. I missed this SO much!

So many things to update...

There were a number of questions from commenters in my blog and I want to be sure that I answer them as well as I can.

First off, YES, I washed my little man in the sink at camp :) It is a total tradition. At the camp there is only a shower and A, my autistic son, does NOT do showers. While at camp, well, they get ABSOLUTELY disgusting - matter of fact, one day I gave him a pot of water to play in so his fingernails would get clean (it worked very well by the way).

I swear to all that is holy, I used Comet on the sink BEFORE I put him in (it is a "boys" camp...they don't really "clean") and AFTER. The sink was VERY clean while he was in it and even more clean AFTER he was in it :) Angels, you can gag all you want :)

My profile picture is wonderful, thank you for all that commented on it. No, I did not take it. I found it online somewhere...photobucket maybe? It is called "Praying for a Cure". If you notice, the little boy in the picture is holding the autism awareness ribbon. Personally, I am not praying for a cure, I am praying for awareness. Many of you know about A and how I think he is perfect just the way he is. In my opinion, it is the rest of the world that needs to change, not him.

Yes, I do barter - quite a bit actually. I like to barter for things that I wouldn't normally spend money on (pedicures, foils, websites). If you are interested in a barter, approach someone that offers what you want. Make an offer. What's the worst that can happen? My hairdresser wouldn't get a weekly massage without bartering and my hair would be totally gray (never mind what my heels would look like) - oh and my boys would look like Shaggy from Scooby Doo. I wouldn't have a business website either. It has been well worth my time!

YES, there are a few gents (or so I hear) that are affiliated with SITS. I have yet to see/read one...but I have been told...

We DID have an AWESOME vacation. No, we didn't get eaten by any wildlife and we did not get lost in the woods. We didn't figure out that we could have a good time as a family - just remembered. Having 3 boys and such a busy life, we tend to forget how much fun it is to just slow down. This vacation helped us remember that and so much more. I will be blogging more about the wonderfulness of our vacation in the very near future...stay tuned!

My Abstinence blog brought in a LOT of comment! I am so glad you guys got so involved! So many different opinions but when it all comes down to it we all feel strongly about one thing: we love our kids and want what is best for them. I appreciate all the opinions!

Yes, I am ALWAYS in a hornet's nest. Of course, I also believe you create drama...and I do. Granted, there is nothing I can do about ER trips due to ear infections (8 hours from home) or trips to the ER because someone sliced themselves with an umbrella (who does that you ask...Z does that...he is his father's son - also 8 hours from home). But I certainly tend to have a bit of drama queen in me :) Oh, and when I was little, we were climbing a mountain and I SAT in a red ant hill...awful!

I don't have a fear of hornets (or any other flying insect) - at least not an irrational fear. I was stung earlier this year. It hurts like hell, but I survived.

The boys burned themselves on peanut butter about 6 months ago...they like to melt peanut butter and dip popcorn in for a snack. I think Z overheated it...it was boiling when I got to it. They both burned themselves pretty badly and that also required a trip to the ER. Ugh! They are their father's sons (who I had to bring to the ER once for burning his corneas while welding WITHOUT A MASK...of course, that was just one of our MANY trips for him).

Peggy, you did not give birth to me...unless my parents lied to me all these years AND my siblings were right when they told me I was adopted....and maybe Traci is right then...and I DO have a long lost sister named Debbie...

I can't believe the mass amounts of you that have NOT received pedicures - ARE YOU KIDDING ME? I don't care how "embarrassing" your feet are...isn't that why you GET a pedicure?! I don't care if you "hate" feet...they never did anything to you but cart your butt around your whole life - TREAT THEM! Seriously, you will thank me for it!

And for those of you that suggested getting up earlier (like 5am) to get a shower in...you have GOT to be kidding me! No way, no how. I love my sleep more than I love peace and quiet in the shower. And besides all that, I have not had a full nights sleep in over 8 years. A, my youngest, doesn't sleep through the night...never has. I take every second I can get :)

Karen, I don't use 2 in 1 any more (and my hairdresser knows - actually she buys my hair products for me - she TOTALLY rules - and NO I will NOT give any of you her name...you think I want to potentially ruin this deal for myself?). Well, actually, if I am being honest...while we were at camp...well...Pert became my new friend. But I SWEAR I dumped her as soon as we got home!!

Sassy Stephanie, I tried the lock on the fridge...he figured it out. How that child doesn't weigh as much as I do is BEYOND me!

Okay, so that is it. All questions answered...and if not, comment me, I'll do my best to get to you.

Keep coming back! Lots of exciting news to come! More pictures (cause my boys are THE CUTEST)...and more fun!

Crazy!

Oh yes, yesterday was SO crazy! I am working my little tail off to try and comment everyone that visited yesterday. If you don't get a comment from me please accept my apologies - I either missed you in the madness OR your blog wouldn't let me comment (which I have run into a couple times).

Thanks to all you lovely SITSas again and again and again! The bloggy love is AMAZING!

How will I ever recover?

At about 9pm last night I checked my email and realized that I had one from Heather from SITS. She asked if I wanted to be a featured blogger for today's SITS blog. Of course I did and I immediately replied...and never heard back from her. I assumed I had replied too late and they had found someone else....

SO NOT TRUE!

When I opened my email this morning there were about 40 new ones - all commenting on my blog. How exciting!!

Now I don't know that I will ever recover. All day, every few minutes, my outlook box is telling me I have new mail. New comments. New gratification for the blogging I do. New people checking out my little corner of cyberspace. It's addicting I tell you...

Do they have a 12 step program for former SITS featured bloggers? If so, sign me up!

Welcome SITSas!!

I want to extend a HUGE welcome to all the wonderful ladies and gents coming in today from SITS!

When Heather emailed me and told me that I was going to be the featured blogger today, I have to admit, I was shocked and feeling a bit guilty....

You see, my blog has been a bit neglected since our return from vacation, getting the kiddos back into school and such.

But, BABY, I am back and with a vengence! So many stories to tell, woes to share and much, much, much excitement!

Thanks for stopping by and sharing the love! Check out the blog, peruse a bit - ENJOY!

The honest to goodness truth

I can hear you....y'all need to quiet down when you yell that!

"SHE'S ALIVE!!"

Yes, I know, I know. I have been downright AWFUL lately. Between leaving vacation blues, the end of summer...ugh. So many excuses but not one single good reason.

First things first. Thank you! Thank you to all that checked in and kept reading and emailed and commented. YES, I am okay, more than okay, actually.

So where were we when I last left you? Ah, yes, vacation.




One big happy family, right? Yes, you are SO right. Quite honestly, it was the best vacation I have ever had. Seriously, ever. And I can only hope and pray that it was the same for the boys.

Check out these pics and let me know what you think:









Best. Vacation. Ever.

We laughed, we fished, we roasted marshmallows and hot dogs, one of us learned to poop in the woods (although he will kill me if I tell you all about it), I remembered that I know how to pee in the woods (and A discovered that a pee stream is very interesting...and got a bit too close...a story I would love to share with you but, seriously, it totally needs to be done in person, writing it out does not do it justice), we berry picked, we ate well, we slept well and we remembered how much we love being a family.

The weather was PERFECT! Remember in one of my last posts I spoke of how it had been raining here in Crazy Town for 4 weeks. Well, it did not rain a drop at camp. Okay, a drop. But honestly, I could have counted the drops - and then it was over.

So much to share and I will...I am getting back into the swing of things. I promise you.

So keep checking back, I will be here, I promise!

And THAT is the honest to goodness truth.