Thoughts of a Mom Poem

In January I wrote a post using a poem I had found online. I wanted to share it again, because I now have many new blog readers who have special needs kids....and this needs to be read by each and every one of you! :) You'll love it!

CLICK HERE

I'd love to have you leave a comment about what you loved in the poem!

Fair-N-Dipity

First, I'd like to apologize to those of you who are Facebook friends and you read my blog, because you have to see the same pictures in both places. But, as I have different readers here, I like to share with them, too! Plus, my blog is my journal. I hope to get it printed in book form someday. (but everytime I try the website doesn't work for me! Anyone have success anywhere printing your blog in a book? Let me know!)

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Eli went to the fair when he was 1 month old and again when he was 13 months old. But, we haven't gone the last two years. With him doing so well these days, and loving to watch kids, we decided to give it a go this year. Eli did really well, even with all the crowds. Our valley doesn't have school on the Monday of our 10 day Fair so the kids can go....since so many used to skip and go anyway. It's "Franz Bread Day"...if you take a specially marked bag from Franz bread you get fair admission and a ride bracelet for only $25! It's a steal....and the fair is packed!

Here we are after arriving at the fair:

Eli rode the carousel for the first time:

...round and round we go....

We keep trying to figure out the best hat for Eli to wear in his stroller. So he got a new baseball cap. Spiderman, no less! :) I can't tell if he looks like a "gangsta" or a "hick". hahaha!!

There was a very friendly goat that let Eli pet him....and then he nibbled on Eli's fingers. It was so cute!

And the splurge of the day was getting a caricature drawn:

The artist was great!

...and here is the finished product! I love it!

We took Eli's caregiver, Tina, with us...but then Lon and I ended up not riding any rides or anything.

Oh, well. Maybe next year!

Final tally:

Admission Price: $36.00 for 3 adults

Parking: $12.00 for 2 cars

Fair Food: $14.75

($5 Elephant Ear, $6 Curly Fries, $3 Pepsi, $.75 Taffy)

License plate with Eli's name on it: $3.99

Spiderman Hat: $8.00

Caricature: $20.00

Taking Eli to be a part of this huge community event: PRICELESS!

Just To See You Smile

"Just to see you smile

I'd do anything

That you wanted me to

When all is said and done

I'd never count the cost

It's worth all that's lost

Just to see you smile"

~Tim McGraw

These were taken Tuesday taking Eli to preschool....and him swinging during Talk and Tumble OT time. :)

The World Revolves Around Me

Eli started preschool yesterday.  It's his second year, but  he didn't really get to attend much last year.  He started getting sick in November, and wasn't well again until we got his nutrition/digestion issues figured out in March!  We couldn't afford for him to get a cold or flu, and lose weight, so we kept him out of school.

But this year, I was a little excited for him to start.  He weighs 3.5 pounds MORE than he did last year!  He's made so much progress this summer...I hope he enjoys some time around other kids.

Here he is, as we get ready to leave home:

...and here we are at school in the parking lot...

His shirt says, "The World Revolves Around Me". 

Our world truly does! :)

Here he is in his class.  We were 5 minutes late, and circle time was over.  Dang it.

Then it was time for recess...

and there are not paths for wheelchairs, and not ONE SINGLE piece of equipment for special needs kids to play with, on, or around!

Seriously!?

He had fun listening to his music, though....

And so Mama Bear goes into her "something's got to be done about this!" mode!

In the preschool classes, there are three boys with wheels.  They need a place to roll.

Things to touch, hear, and see.  So, I'm working on it!  I'm going to start fundraising and get some equipment for their playground.  The principal is on board, I now just have to go through all the steps.

And raise money!

We will do it!  I know we can.  I have several parents ready to help me!

Back in the class, it was circle time.  Eli still had his music on.  He's laughing.  Again.  :)

Time to head home.  It was a beautiful sunny day!

Eli was the only kid in the class with new clothes and shoes.  Did I over-do it for my 4 year old?

hahahahahaha!

Don't these just make you want a pair?  Rubik's Cube Converse!  Yeah, baby!

Winding Down

I'm not quite ready for summer to be over....but it's definitely winding down, isn't it?
It gets dark so early now.
Pre-school starts tomorrow.
Eli's going further than ever each day, outside, in his Bronco.
He's just been busy playing.....

.....with paper.....


.....and beans.....



.....in his stander.....





How about you? How are you winding down your summer?

And Then There Were Ten

The day I posted about losing Zeke, I saw that our cat Little Girl (I did NOT name her!) had a massive eye infection....again!  It's been chronic for years.  It never really goes away...I'd medicate, and it would go away for a while.  But it always came back.  She always had nose issues.  A funky wheeze with each meow.  Snotty off and on.  (Yeah - she was quite a bag of tricks!)

I took her to the vet on Tuesday, and found out her mouth was horribly infected, too.  She was a cat with chronic "immuno-defiency" issues.  The medication was going to be a crazy regimen and schedule in hopes it would help...then more meds to follow and a dental cleaning.  She was old.  And chronic.  I decided it was time to say goodbye to her.  It was a hard decision, but I feel it was the best for her.

She wasn't the most fortunate looking cat....so I ended up calling her "Scrunge".

She was a sweetie.  Never got into trouble.  Talked a lot.  Loved to sleep.

REALLY loved to sleep. And even when her favorite spot (at our old house) got knocked over by dogs or wind...she stayed the course:

Isn't that a hoot?

So, our cat population is now down to 10.  The lowest we've ever had as a married couple...

our hearts are a little sore right now.

Farewell Zeke

Our cat Zeke, you know the one that was Cuckoo for Canteloupe?, he finally had to give in to his illness.

Two days before Eli's big birthday party - we could tell it was time.  He quit eating.  Then he started having labored breathing.  So, the morning of Eli's party (8/22/09), Lonnie took him in to have him euthenized.  We couldn't watch him suffer any longer. 

Lonnie had Zeke for about 12 years.  We had a wonderful 7 weeks with him while he was sick.  We wouldn't trade that for anything!

We buried our beloved pet the morning of Eli's party.  Our graveyard in our backyard if filling too quickly.  We've had four pets die in the last year.  (We've had 4 others run away since we moved here)  It's been hard for us to deal with.  We love our pets...and wish we knew what happened to them, at the very least!

We are now down to only 11 cats.  That's a big deal to us!  We haven't had that low of a census since we got married!  (Lon had 7 and I had 4)  But, since the dog count is now UP due to my mom's dogs coming to live with us...I guess it all works out, doesn't it?