The olden days

Now that I am feeling a bit better (I won't say I am 100% because that would be a lie) it is time for the kids to have vacation...of course.

So, again and still, I will probably not be updating regularly this week. We have dentists' appointments and haircuts and sleepovers and bowling and birthday parties all scheduled this week.

But even more fun, I bought a scanner this past weekend. We were in need of new ink for the printer and the printer/scanner I bought cost us as much as the ink for the old printer was going to cost. It just made sense.

Man, oh man, this is fun! I have posted over 100 pictures on my Facebook page of high school friends and summer "camp" friends (much to their dismay). I am loving this!

This is a picture of my sister Monica (left), my brother Alex (the baby) and myself with our great grandparents.

This is a picture my grandmother sent us while they were in Florida for the winter. When we were younger she would write to us. My grandfather hated to have his picture taken (and still does). If you read the caption she says that he threatened to break her camera...that doesn't surprise me.This is my grandmother, her mother and my mother with Monica and I.

And my grandmother...I miss her and wish that my children had the opportunity to meet her and remember her.

So, I will see you next week with lots of stories of the adventures we had this week.

Sick

Why is it that most everytime these kiddos get a few days "vacation" somebody decides that is the perfect time to bring the flu into our home?

Well, it has happened again. Poor Z spent all day Saturday running between the couch and the toilet, now it is A's turn and even I am having a hard time keeping my toast down...

Ugh! So much for a fun filled few days off!

Memories....

Camp. What can I say except that it was WONDERFUL! I shared some pictures in an earlier post, those were some of the best. I'm not sure how to write about all the great things that happened so I am just going to highlight/list them:

• Left home at 10pm on Wed.
• Hit a skunk on the ride up - threw my back out in the process
• Arrived at camp at 4am after taking one wrong turn and stopping for a few bathroom breaks
• Yard at camp was not mowed - some places were taller than A

• Found a lone pair of underwear in Tom's bed...women's...
• Biggest thing anyone hooked all week was me...OUCH! Fish were small but they put up a fight

• Boys canoed with dad

• A broke my glasses the second day there...thankfully the general store had super glue
• A used the outhouse (although there is indoor plumbing as well)

• Saw a beautiful sunset at the lake

• My camera battery died the second day...glad Kirby brought his as well
• Hiked in the woods a bit - NEVER left the path - we learned our lessons last year
• Founds TONS of raspberries and blackberries and even a few blueberries.

• Picked enough to make pancakes with cool whip and berries for breakfast

• Saw both moose and wild canine tracks - though never saw the real thing

• Z learned to use a slingshot AND a hand saw
• Kirby to remove a rather large thorn/splinter from my foot
• Boys built a "drum set" out of logs and sticks and performed "shows" every night

• Roast hot dogs and marshmallows by the fire every night

• Heard coyotes and loons at night
• The boys burned their sneakers in the fire
• Z and Tom played tons of wiffle ball and had a great time doing it - never seen them have so much fun together without arguing

• Saw a woman driving a motorcycle with her man on the back on the way home...HYSTERICAL
• Learned that Kirby and I can be friends
• Arrived home at 7pm on Tuesday....wanting to be back at camp

Did I mention that Kirby and I learned that we can be friends? More on that in another post...

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!

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.

Please don't let the bears eat me...

As I mentioned in yesterday's post, last time we were up at camp we had a bit of an adventure in the woods.......

At the camp there is a journal. Before you leave you can write down your memories of your visit. I love it. It is a great way to see what everyone else is doing up there. It is a great way to share memories and remember things that you had once forgotten. It is also a great way to remember the neighbor's names (cause I am SO bad with names). And last year, it was a great way to discover new adventures.

In the journal someone made mention to the fact that Uncle Bruce had built a bridge somewhere on the land for Mad Max (Mad Max was one of my Uncle's creations...a cross between a bulldozer and a tractor with a plow on the front). They also mentioned that you could get to the bridge by foot following the logging path. Tom said he had been there and that he could lead us through.

So off we went on the trek to the bridge the Bruce built...

I had forgotten my sneakers so I was hiking in flip flops which wasn't a big deal until the "path" became a jungle. At first the path was nice and clear. Every few feet more brush would appear. Soon we were hiking in thick brush up to my waist. A had to be carried on Kirby's shoulders because it was taller than he was.

I was getting eaten alive. The bugs were horrendous and the brush kept ripping at my skin. After about 45 minutes I was done. Irritated, tired, hungry and hurting. I wanted to turn around. Kirby wanted to keep going. We argued (shocking, I know), I won.

There was a problem, however. We turned around and, somehow, lost the path. It could have been that the brush was taller than my children so the "path" didn't really look like a path. It could have been that in my bloodless, starving, delirious state I got confused. Whatever it was, we were lost. Badly.

I must say here that Kirby has NO sense of direction. He believes he does and for the sake of the next 10 months I would never tell him otherwise. But he doesn't. North, South, East, West do not make sense to him.

So Kirby kept telling me that the path I was choosing was wrong. "We couldn't have come from that direction" he kept telling me. "It must have been this path"...

I didn't freaking care which path we came down to begin with I just wanted OUT! We were walking by piles of bear and moose crap...the bugs were eating me...the kids were whiny...it was starting to get dark...I WAS SCARED.

Z was scared and kept blaming Tom for getting us lost...I was scared and kept blaming Kirby for not letting me turn around sooner...and I think a small part of Kirby was scared that he may not be able to get us out. And poor Tom was scared because he was the one that lead us out there to begin with...and did I mention that we kept walking by PILES OF BEAR CRAP?

This was about the time that Momma went PSYCHO. Between the lack of food, low blood levels due to mosquito bites, the dwindling sunlight...the whiny children and pissy Kirby....and the fact that I was TERRIFIED that we were going to be lost in the woods forever and get eaten by one of the bears (that I am sure were rather large judging on the size of their crap)....well, I lost it.

I don't remember what was said. It is too humiliating to look back on. I am sure that my complete meltdown did not help matters. I am sure that I only succeeded in terrifying my children more....but I couldn't help it. I lost it. Completely lost it. I am ashamed of the way I reacted in an emergency.

Then, in a moment of sanity, I regained my ability to function like the sane, rational, smart, independent woman that I am.

I stood in the forest, caught a glimpse of the sun and realized where I was. I remembered that sitting in the camp I faced the sun in that direction. I realized the way that we needed to go. And I started walking.

"This isn't the path we took to get in" Kirby kept saying.

I told him that I didn't freaking care what path we took to get in, this was the path that was going to take us out...

And it did. Because I am amazing!

This year we will be much better prepared for a hike...IF there is any hiking. I'm talking bug spray, water, sneakers, loaded pistol...whatever...

Vacation! and a thankful 13 :)

Today is the first day of our family vacation to camp. I wish I could tell you that I am blogging as we sit by the lake and enjoy the kiddos fishing...but I am not. Actually, what I am doing is blogging in the future - or would it be the past....You see, camp has no internet, no cable, no cell service - NOTHING! So, this post is actually being written in preparation for my vacation.



A bit about camp:

My uncle passed away about 9 years ago and his brothers (my father and my two uncles) took over his land and cabin in ME.

At that point in time there was no indoor plumbing...but there was an outhouse. Thankfully the women in the family put up enough of a stink that the boys did put in indoor plumbing.

It is a small cabin on an ENORMOUS piece of land that includes a good amount of lake property. There are few neighbors and even they are so far away that we could scream till the cows came home and they would never hear us. The land is so large that last year we got lost while hiking it (there were a few insane moments...I will save that story for another blog).

The lake is small, the fishing is tough but the kids have a blast.

I love that place.

It is too far for us to make the trek up regularly (it is about 6 hours from here but with two kids in the car the drive can easily turn into 8). In fact, in the 9 years since the brothers have owned it I have only been up twice.

Last year we decided to make it a yearly event. It was so much fun and such an inexpensive trip I couldn't see why not.

So, today, by the time you are reading this we should have arrived. We should have left very late last night (or very early this morning), made the trek while the kiddos were still sleeping, and arrived as the sun came up.

I won't be able to respond to comments and visit all my favorite blogs but bear with me....I will be back in full swing sometime next week. I have enough blogs written and scheduled to last through our time away so be sure to come back and visit!!

I can't wait to share all about our exciting adventures!

And, of course, it is Thursday (well, not really, but it IS, right?). Since I am doing this, almost, a week in advance bear with me :)

1) I am thankful that Kirby and I did not kill each other on either the ride to or from the zoo...and nobody was thrown into the Tiger's habitat.

2) I am thankful that we did not lose A at the zoo :)

3) I m thankful that we were able to see Josiah and spend some time with him. (Keep your eyes out for a post all about the zoo later on this week).

4) I am thankful for the rain. Because, honestly, it has rained for about 4 weeks and there is NO POSSIBLE way it can continue for our trip to camp...right?!

5) I am thankful for the white "punchbuggy" that has been sitting in the parking lot across the street for about a month now. Because A gets such a charge out of it every time we walk by (he has a thing for Herbie the Lovebug).

6) I am thankful that Mom took Z for a couple nights over the weekend. A is much better behaved without Z and vice versa.

7) I am thankful for Poland Spring Seltzer water because it makes it much easier to keep up with my water intake!

8) I am thankful that I did not break anything when I took a MAJOR fall down the stairs this week...home alone...at night...SCARY! (I am okay, think I may have chipped my tailbone but it feels MUCH better today than yesterday).

9) I am thankful for some amazing friends....I think I say this every week and I promise you it is NOT enough! They truly are amazing!

10) I am thankful that our Autism Awareness day will be August 23rd and almost over. Don't get me wrong...I have LOVED planning this and honestly LOVE the women that I am planning it with. It has been a lot of hard work and I am ready for it to be over.

11) I am thankful that I have all my blogs pre written and ready to posted during my vacation. I can't wait to come home and see all the comments!

12) I am thankful for good music than can help me drown out the world, sleep at night and get my groove on.

13) I am thankful that my life is good. There are rough times but I know that I will always make it through. Considering where I could be...my life is darn good!

A fishy, water logged Memorial Weekend.

What a gorgeous, long weekend! The weather was near perfect every day. And we took full - well close to full - advantage of it.

Friday was the boy's Memorial Day Presentation at school. Since it was in the morning, Andrew was not going to participate (he is in the afternoon kindergarten session). He and I agreed that he would come and sit with me and sing all the songs. Unfortunately, he had a total "autistic moment" about 10 minutes in. He wanted a flag that was being used as a decoration, I said no and all hell broke loose. He cried so hard that he hyperventilated, he hit me, he screamed...we left. It was mortifying! Thankfully, Zach wasn't aware that I had to leave...he thinks I saw the whole thing (and I am not about to admit otherwise).

Saturday was quiet. Well, as quiet as it can be when you are fighting with an 8 year old to clean his room. Truthfully, it took all day. He started at 10am and by 7pm he was FINALLY done. It was a disaster and I was fed up. It's done, for now...

Sunday I had an Embracing Autism NH (EANH) meeting in the morning As soon as I got back the boys were ready to go. Go where? Where else? Fishing, of course!



One of Andrew's friends from school happened to be walking by and he and his family decided to join us. T and F had never been fishing before and Zachary had a great time teaching them to cast and put the worm on the hook.

We did catch much other than a sunburn. I forgot the sunscreen and a few hours of sitting on the water in the sun isn't a great idea for me. Before I left my EANH Tracy told me to enjoy my weekend and to "get some sun". I'm not sure that was her idea. Thankfully the boys got away with very little redness. Redheads with fair skin should ALWAYS wear sunscreen - unfortunately, Mom tends to forget.

Sunday evening was the first Movie in the Barn at Dad's house of the season.





After Andrew broke the birdbath...

We watched the short video Sue made about her time in Iraq (WONDERFUL) followed by Ratatouille.



We made it through the movie with few incidences. Andrew even sat for most of it. Home at 11pm...exhausted.

The Moving Wall (www.themovingwall.org) has been in Ossipee all weekend and Kirby really wanted to get out and see it. First thing Sunday we packed a lunch and made our way over.

He and I have seen The Moving Wall together once before and got to see the real thing once as well. Every time we see it we are incredibly moved.

I was happy to have the boys with us but worried about how they were going to behave. Again, few incidences...thank you god!









The boys even got the ride in a "real Army truck"! Andrew was so excited!







I am glad that we made it over there and proud of how well my kids handled themselves. I hate having to talk to my kids about those things - the violence and reality of the world. I want them to believe that the world is full of love and peace...I worry that I will taint their views. Of course, my worry doesn't stop me. After all, it is reality.

After visiting the wall we traveled down to New Durham to The Powder Mill Fish Hatchery. The hatchery is run by NH Fish and Game. We had taken the boys there once before but they were so young they didn't even remember it.




You'd think we had brought them to Six Flags for a weekend! They had SUCH a great time! It just reinforces the fact that you don't have to spend money to have fun with your kids. Seriously, we spent $1 on fish food and they had over an hour of enjoyment!









Check out the size of those fish!











We ended the day by taking the kids fishing at the Salmon Falls River in Rochester.











The boys aren't use to river fishing and it was harder than I remembered. We lost 3 lines, didn't catch a thing and Mom ended up looking like this:




I totally fell in. Kirby took this picture AFTER he took the camera out of my pocket (soaking wet), AFTER he asked me if I was okay but not BEFORE he tried to get the camera to take a picture of me lying in the water trying like hell to get out.

I had been fishing out of the water the whole time (well after I climbed into the water to try and get my line out). It wasn't all that cold, I was enjoying dipping my feet...then I lost my footing. Sonuvabiscuit!!!

I smelled like a dead fish the whole way back to Wolfeboro in soaking wet jeans with two screaming, whining kids in the back...

Fisher Cats - April Vacation Part Three

The Autism Society of New Hampshire (www.autism-society-nh.org) recently teamed up with the NH Fisher Cats (a "farm team" for the Toronto Blue Jays - www.nhfishercats.com) to hold an Autism Awareness Day. Tickets were cheap, it was to support a great cause, so we grabbed a bunch and went with the family.

My kids have never been to a professional baseball game (I went to see the Red Sox, at least, once a year when I was growing up - now tickets are SO outrageously priced there is no way I could take my kids) and they were very excited! Zachary even brought his baseball glove hoping to catch a fly ball.

We had a great time with my family (even though it was pretty darn cold and pretty darn rainy).



Christian:


Alex finally showed up:


Alex and Thanny:




Andrew having more fun with Sue's toys than watching the game:



Christian and Zach are getting too big to sit with the grownups:





Fly ball:



Thanny getting every last bite of popcorn:



Andrew and Dad:



"Paaatnaaas"


"Da plane, da plane" - Manchester Boston Regional Airport lands very close to the field



There was even a baseball game going on!







The Fisher Cats won 3-2. It was a great game even if the boys had more fun tormenting me than watching it :)

While I hoped all my boys would fall asleep on the way home...



Thankfully Kirby didn't fall asleep either :)



Zach didn't catch a fly ball but a few of us were featured on the big screen (even me, doing my "Macho Man" impression...now I realize why they call it a BIG screen, ugh).

Hopefully next year will be a bit warmer!