Merry Christmas!

First I would just like to say Merry Christmas and a happy new year to all my friends in bloggyville.
Our Christmas started off to a rocky start on Christmas eve day. We found out my mom was very sick and wasnt up to having us over that day or cooking turkey and having us over Christmas. It would be a quiet day with just me and my kids at home. At first I was sad but the boys took it really well.  My dad brought the presents over Christmas eve day and I gave him theirs.  I decided not to let this snag ruin our Christmas though. Christmas eve I let them open one present like I do every year. My oldest opened a video game and my youngest opened his bop it!

He got up to 48 last night. He loved it. Its great for co-ordination not to mention thinking on your feet.  My oldest son liked his video game to of coarse.  I prepared a breakfast casserole the night before and put it in the oven while we were opening the rest of our presents. I cant take all the credit, I got this idea from a friend.   My youngest got a nerf gun for Christmas and so I bought them 100 foamy darts for them and needless to say there are more than half missing lol.  They spend at least an hour running around the house playing nerf wars. They had a blast but my oldest got overstimulated and almost went into meltdown so I had to get both of them to calm down and do something relaxing for a while.  They spent the rest of the day playing with their presents and we watched The good luck Charlie Christmas special together.   Because I didnt expect to be home for Christmas we didnt have a turkey but we had restaurant style nachos which we all love. So although it was different it was still fun.

What do you know? Its columbus day in the US!

Happy Columbus day to my US friends or happy kick our new neighbors off our land day, whichever u prefer.

Happy thanksgiving!

I know most of my friends on here don't live in Canada but happy thanksgiving anyways :). I am thankful for my net friends who I can relate too. I don't feel alone anymore. I am thankful for good friends and family.  I am thankful for a house to live in and food to eat. I am thankful for my kids who bring such joy to my lives.  I am thankful just to be alive. I am looking forward to my big thanksgiving meal at my parents tomorrow. Happy thanksgiving everyone!

A furry friend has passed on.

This morning I had to tell my kids their grandmas dog Peach passed away.  My kids have spent alot of time at their grandparents over the years.  I dreaded telling them as I found out last night but didn't want to upset them b4 bed.  They reacted better than I thought they would.  They were sad when I told them but no tears not even from the youngest one who is usually the emotional one.  I guess that's good just surprising.  The paternal grandparents are going to send us pics of peach.  She was a beautiful dog friendly dog but was unwell for a while. I guess even the kids could see it coming. Im sad too :(  I know she has joined Cherry, her mom who also lived there, in heaven though.

Delicious Dinner!

My oldest went with his worker today and made us a delicious dinner.  We had lightly breaded prawns with corn fritters. A yogurt drink and a chocolate covered brownie on a stick for desert.  Its so nice to have dinner made for u once in a while, doesn't happen much when your a single mom again, and something we don't usually have.  They went to their last therapeutic riding till September now its time to decide if they want to go back for the next session or do something else.  My youngest has really been slacking off lately. I don't know if its bcuz its not challenging enough or he is just not too interested anymore. Also my youngest often doesn't want to go but when its time to ask do you want to go for next session he always says yes.

Temporary Homemaker/housekeeper

I am lucky enough after years of asking for help to have a temporary homemaker for the last few months. There is only a few sessions left but I cant stand this lady anymore.  Oh my freakin head! In the beginning I made the mistake of telling her my ex and me had split so she had to know why and keep asking questions I didn't want to answer. I would give her short answers and she didn't get it.  She is so nosy.   After several weeks I had to tell her I don't really want to talk about my separation all the time, its not really a pleasant topic. I told her twice before she dropped it. My separation is best for all concerned and soon to be officially divorced but I don't want to talk about it all the time.Then over time she started trying to tell me that my autistic kids should help more saying if they can watch TV and play their video games they can help to pick up.  She keeps repeating this and also keeps saying it week after week. Its none of her business for one and she knows they are autistic. She comes in here today complaining about the mess which excuse me but its kind of her job to come in here and clean and mind her business. She asks me if I like living with this mess. I say no that's why I asked for help. She says why don't u clean it up? I walk out of the room.   She starts mumbling under her breath that she is not coming back next week. Oh, and she also said I make a mess on purpose! What the heck??? I am sooooooo...sure I run around my house before she comes and mess it up. Omgosh I was so mad I went in the laundry room and called the kids disability worker and told him what she is like and that I don't want her back next week. I said she is causing me stress and my kids disability worker said she is supposed to be helping with the stress not causing it. What a b*tch!  (Unfortunately you must be home when the homemaker is there.) Also she comes in for the last few weeks and says "tornado, tornado! Its a tornado in here!" It got old fast!

Tough days!

I realized the other day that I was giving my oldest child, the one with the most behavior problems too many chances.  He is getting really mouthy. I realize part of it is being almost 13 but not all of it.  Being a fair person I informed my kids about how long they are going to get a time out for what and that I had been giving too many chances.  5 mins for mouthiness, being rude, name calling etc., 10 mins for swearing, yelling at me. 1/2 hour for violence.  5 min time outs in the morning for everything because lets face it if I stuck to the regular time out thing my oldest would never get out the door.  If they have 5 time outs in the morning then they are off the computer till dinner.  Anyways, my oldest is not liking this so of coarse was yelling and name calling and being rude yesterday morning and got himself kicked off the computer. After school he proceeded to beg me to give it back to him. You know how our kids can obssess about things. I told him drop it or u wont get it back and he slowed down considerably.  He was able to get it back after dinner. this morning was better although he still had a hard time getting motivated to get dressed and get out the door he had miraculously lost a large part of his mouthiness.  He still got 2 time outs in the morning but thats far better than 5.  Thanks for listening, just had to vent :)

Happy Mothers day or HUGS for those who have a hard time with this day.

Happy mothers day. My kids made me pancakes with mixed berries in them and whipped cream on top. Yum! Then we went to the fair. At the end of the fair I bought them cotton candy and candy apples. We always buy one cotton candy to share but the apples were a treat cuz the guy at the booth offered us an "end of the day deal"  I hope you all had a good mothers day and for the trauma moms following my blog hugs. I hope u had a good mothers day too but I get that some of you arent at that point. Keep up the good work all the moms of special needs kids out there. You have a hard job.

Stole this from a bloggy friend.

A. Age: 36

B. Bed size: Queen 

C. Chore you hate: folding clothes

D. Dogs: Im a dog person at heart but I have a cat and a budgie, go figure.

E. Essential start to your day: computer and a hug from my boys when I go out the door.

F. Favorite color: Purple!

G. Gold or silver: either. I like shiny things.

H. Height: 5'10"

I. Instruments you play: nothing

J. Job title: SAHM

K. Kids: 2

L. Live: simply but Im happy.

M. Mom’s name: Susan

N. Nicknames: Angel. 

O. Overnight hospital stays:  childbirth and sleep study on a hard cot with my son.

P. Pet peeve: ignorant people who dont try to understand.

Q. Quote from a movie: My name is  Iñigo Montoya you killed my father prepare to die.
R. Right or left handed: Right

S. Siblings: 2 brothers

T. Time you wake up: 7:00

U. Underwear: Yes 

V. Vegetables you dislike: cooked peas, cooked carrots

W. What makes you run late: kids having tantrums or my absentmindness.

X. X-Rays you’ve had: mostly ankle ex-rays. I fractured one and a few years later I pulled muscles and ligaments in another. Can I be done now? lol

Y. Yummy food you make: chicken fajitas, mexican stroganoff, my lasangna is the best.

Z. Zoo – favorite animal: the wolves

Ring giveaway

http://wronginalltherightways-travcat.blogspot.com/2011/03/give-it-away-now.html

These people are having a draw for her beautiful wedding ring. Only $5 for entry to bring their daughters home that they want to adopt and give them the medical care they need.  If you can help please follow the above link to their page or spread the word by posting it on your blog.

The Teen Years...

The teen years are almost upon us. My oldest is getting so mouthy. His favorite sayings are you're mean, you're crazy and I don't have to do what u say. He is so rebellious lately. Just when u think u have them mostly able to control their emotions (well except for when it comes to school work) then hormones rear their ugly head. My son will be 13 in September but he has the BO and the zits and the attitude so he may as well be a teen.  They have also had a bad cough for almost a month and nothing the dr can do. I am trying some vitamins and trying to kick it out though.  Are the teen years generally worse with kids with autism or just hard in general?  I think the younger one, 12 years this year also got signs of puberty (worse BO then his brother, zits and blackheads)  He  is being more emotional too but he is a whiner and cryer.  My oldest one is a yeller. How did things change in the teen years for your kids?

Spring Vacation

I am going away to meet a couple of my fb friends. One of them has a child with autism too. I am so excited. The most exciting part is my kids will be at their grandparents so its a break and a vacation.  I appreciate that I have been welcomed to join some great ladies on their retreat but I am not quite brave enough to meet all of you at once at the moment.  Maybe next year?

Oh my head!

Was it a full moon today??? Both of my kids didn't want to get out of bed today and took about 15 minutes to haul their butts out of bed at about 7:55. They are supposed to be out the door at between 8:20 -8:30. ha ha, that wasn't going to happen.  Well, from there my oldest came out in his blanket and layed on the carpet and started in on his "I'm not going to school rant." Usually when he does this I am able to get things on track by getting him to eat first so in about 10 minutes after telling me I know what you are doing and thats a step to get ready for school (he's onto me). He finally decides to eat.  Then guess what??? Back on the carpet in his blanket, blanket over his head.  I tried to reward,  I tried to discipline. If you don't get ready for school you are off your games for a day then a week. Nothing was budging the boy. Usually if a reward doesn't work, banning him off his games works.  He does get mad but he usually get ready and goes right away. NOT TODAY! I finally asked what happened at school that you don't want to go. The deal with the school is that he stays after school for homework club everyday to get his work that he typically doesn't get done in class done.  Well, yesterday(the first day back at school since he was sick last week) they kept him from having PE, his favorite subject, and half of lunch to do his work. Wth??? I am sending them a note tomorrow reminding them of the deal of him staying after school.  Its not good to break his routine seeing he is autistic. Also 1/2 hour of PE is mandatory in school.  He needs to exercise break. Also lunch is a break he needs and he is entitled too. Argh... Even adults get a break at work.  I actually stayed calm the whole time he was carrying on, so proud of myself for not yelling :)   He also tried to push his luck going to bed tonight but ended up going to bed without too much problem.  He figured he should still get his bribe (Jello) even though he layed on the floor for at least half an hour after I said if you get dressed I will make Jello while u are at school. Maybe I forgot to say if you get dressed right away?  He finally left for school about 9:30 and got to school about an hour late.  He says he is not going to school tomorrow  even though he had a better day today. My prayer for tomorrow, Dear God,  Please let tomorrow morning be easier than today.