Peace and blessings on you and yours for 2010. It's shaping up to be a very interesting year around year.
But then, it's always interesting around here!
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Saturday, December 26, 2009
Merry Christmas!
Christmas at our house is always, well, odd. We do the same things pretty much, but without my Mom and Dad to visit, it still seems odd. They've been gone 10 years now, but it seems like yesterday. We do miss them so much.
Yesterday, Christmas Day, we got to sleep in until 6 a.m.. A real record for us. For several years we were up at 4 a.m.. The pile of stuff under the tree gets smaller and costs more--a phenomenon known to all parents of teens. DD had a wish list that totaled over a thousand dollars, and FTD asked for one game. I really pushed FTD to come up with something else he wanted, but all he could ask for was the game. And it's Wii Music, which he said he wanted because the whole family can play it together. Way too sweet. (As a side bar, I went to the store to pick it up, and the price dropped $30! So then I really felt crappy for being so cheap with the kid.) We had already ordered DD's Lionel Legacy Remote system, even though he doesn't yet have a train that will run on it. But he got a couple of nearly Christmas Eve firewood sales and ended up with enough cash to order his dream engine: the Lionel Heritage Series Katy Legacy Engine. Sadly for him, it's back ordered so we have no idea when it will arrive. It will run with his new remote. He's thrilled and frustrated all at the same time, knowing the stuff is ready and oh so close. There's a train show tomorrow and he still has some cash in his pocket and is ready to blow it all. Sure beats some of the junk upon which he could spend money.
We did get FTD a Garmin Nuvi thingie. He's a map geek, and even though he will probably never drive, he's still our Chief Navigator. He's been able to read maps even when he couldn't read a book or tell someone his own address. One of those quirky autism things. Last night he set up the Garmin, currently named Greta Pam, to guide us to the Monroe Duvendack's for Christmas dinner with family. And unbeknownst to us, he set it to get us back home safely. We actually had fun trying to trick it, but it recalculated and by jove we mad it safe home. And while the thing belongs to FTD, DH and I will use it.
One of the lessons that we learned years ago about having kids with special needs is that we should try to engage them in real-age appropriate activities, even though their mental/spiritual ages are much younger. We've succeed so far with DD--he can be a geek at any age about Nascar and trains. The adults involved with both of those activities get a kick out of him, and really try to include him. We haven't been so lucky with FTD. Yes, his Scouting activities are great, but when he's home by himself, he doesn't turn to say, BSA online games, he goes to pokemon and you-gi-oh. I would argue that these are not age-appropriate, although I'm finding out that several of his typically developing buddies still play them. The difference is that they are dating and driving cars and visiting colleges, while he isn't. I'm still hoping that he can find something else in his life about which he can be a geek and still a socially accepted geek. We tried baseball and nearly succeed, when one adult at his school sent out a seriously negative vibe, and in one sentence turned FTD off from baseball geekdom. (BYW, I still think the teacher who told him "no" should have to come over and play pokemon to make it up to FTD. Jerk.)
The good news is that FTD seems to be very content with his games and videos. He's still kind and compassionate, just quieter than ever. On one hand he seems to be withdrawing more and more, but in reality it might just be that his friends and brother are becoming more and more outgoing. I hope at least.
Tom and I "exchanged gifts" at the hardware store one day last week. That's a fun story and I'll include pics for that one.
I hope you and yours have a pleasant holiday--as a liberal, progressive Christian, I wish you the peace that comes from the spiritual realm. "For unto us a Child is born." What joyous words indeed.
Yesterday, Christmas Day, we got to sleep in until 6 a.m.. A real record for us. For several years we were up at 4 a.m.. The pile of stuff under the tree gets smaller and costs more--a phenomenon known to all parents of teens. DD had a wish list that totaled over a thousand dollars, and FTD asked for one game. I really pushed FTD to come up with something else he wanted, but all he could ask for was the game. And it's Wii Music, which he said he wanted because the whole family can play it together. Way too sweet. (As a side bar, I went to the store to pick it up, and the price dropped $30! So then I really felt crappy for being so cheap with the kid.) We had already ordered DD's Lionel Legacy Remote system, even though he doesn't yet have a train that will run on it. But he got a couple of nearly Christmas Eve firewood sales and ended up with enough cash to order his dream engine: the Lionel Heritage Series Katy Legacy Engine. Sadly for him, it's back ordered so we have no idea when it will arrive. It will run with his new remote. He's thrilled and frustrated all at the same time, knowing the stuff is ready and oh so close. There's a train show tomorrow and he still has some cash in his pocket and is ready to blow it all. Sure beats some of the junk upon which he could spend money.
We did get FTD a Garmin Nuvi thingie. He's a map geek, and even though he will probably never drive, he's still our Chief Navigator. He's been able to read maps even when he couldn't read a book or tell someone his own address. One of those quirky autism things. Last night he set up the Garmin, currently named Greta Pam, to guide us to the Monroe Duvendack's for Christmas dinner with family. And unbeknownst to us, he set it to get us back home safely. We actually had fun trying to trick it, but it recalculated and by jove we mad it safe home. And while the thing belongs to FTD, DH and I will use it.
One of the lessons that we learned years ago about having kids with special needs is that we should try to engage them in real-age appropriate activities, even though their mental/spiritual ages are much younger. We've succeed so far with DD--he can be a geek at any age about Nascar and trains. The adults involved with both of those activities get a kick out of him, and really try to include him. We haven't been so lucky with FTD. Yes, his Scouting activities are great, but when he's home by himself, he doesn't turn to say, BSA online games, he goes to pokemon and you-gi-oh. I would argue that these are not age-appropriate, although I'm finding out that several of his typically developing buddies still play them. The difference is that they are dating and driving cars and visiting colleges, while he isn't. I'm still hoping that he can find something else in his life about which he can be a geek and still a socially accepted geek. We tried baseball and nearly succeed, when one adult at his school sent out a seriously negative vibe, and in one sentence turned FTD off from baseball geekdom. (BYW, I still think the teacher who told him "no" should have to come over and play pokemon to make it up to FTD. Jerk.)
The good news is that FTD seems to be very content with his games and videos. He's still kind and compassionate, just quieter than ever. On one hand he seems to be withdrawing more and more, but in reality it might just be that his friends and brother are becoming more and more outgoing. I hope at least.
Tom and I "exchanged gifts" at the hardware store one day last week. That's a fun story and I'll include pics for that one.
I hope you and yours have a pleasant holiday--as a liberal, progressive Christian, I wish you the peace that comes from the spiritual realm. "For unto us a Child is born." What joyous words indeed.
Saturday, December 19, 2009
Bout and BadAmyKnits all in one post
The Glass City Rollers won their first bout ever and they did it before a sell out crowd at the Toledo Seagate Center. How cool is that! My hat is off to those women for ramming around and having all that fun. Check them out here.
And my daughter's stuff made the front page of Etsy! Etsy is an online storefront for crafters and sellers of vintage stuff. BadAmyKnits has been plugging away making sock yarn bags for sale for about a year, but she made the front page with her knitted candy canes. They are so darn cute! But I think the teeny tiny sweaters are the bomb. Way way way too cute. I'm a sucker for knitted winter woolies so I'm totally in love with her stuff. So here's where you find the bestest stuff:
BadAmyKnits on Etsy. You can also find her on Ravelry at BadAmyKnits. She has a discussion forum, and most of her new stuff is published there first. Go on, you know you wanna look!
And my daughter's stuff made the front page of Etsy! Etsy is an online storefront for crafters and sellers of vintage stuff. BadAmyKnits has been plugging away making sock yarn bags for sale for about a year, but she made the front page with her knitted candy canes. They are so darn cute! But I think the teeny tiny sweaters are the bomb. Way way way too cute. I'm a sucker for knitted winter woolies so I'm totally in love with her stuff. So here's where you find the bestest stuff:
BadAmyKnits on Etsy. You can also find her on Ravelry at BadAmyKnits. She has a discussion forum, and most of her new stuff is published there first. Go on, you know you wanna look!
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Getting Ready for the Bout
My Christmas shopping is 99.32% finished, the stockings are hung, I can't find the special treat we brought back from Montana just yet, but everything else is coming along. So it must be time for. . . . ROLLER DERBY! Yep, its time for the Glass City Rollers second home bout. Seagate Center, 7:00 Saturday, Dec. 19, 2009, tickets available in several Toledo locations. I picked a lime green shirt at the thrift shop tonight, and felt to make banners for each of the girls--really cheesy ones, of course. I'm still amazed that I like this so much. Must be my alter-ego at work.
The Whitehouse Library Home Tour was loverly again. Raised some good money for a good cause. I'm pretty seriously considering having our house in the tour next year. Unless 6 other homeowners just jump at the chance, I'll do it. This year, I'm keeping it simple. Just the bestest ornaments and a few garlands. Okay, there is my Yooper Christmas Village that's taken on a life of its own. YooperVille and ranger-y stuff cover my cutting table, which is taking up all of my foyer, the Acadia Cool Damp & Foggy Village is on the buffet, and there are some other pieces here and there. I could only find one new piece that I liked this year, and a bunch of new people, including Rangers on horseback. They do need to be 'snow painted' though so they fit in. I'll have my crafty corner up and maybe running by Christmas. DH and newest nephew-in-law worked all afternoon in the basement again today. DH has put in a couple of hours here and there. I'm hoping the paneling goes up in the Crafty corner tomorrow or the next day. I'm taking over then. The drywall is up for the 'river portage' wall mural. Yours truly just has to mud and tape the seams and holes. Arg. We have 7 years experience doing this. All 7 years were spent trying to finish the kitchen ceiling in the old house. Finally, I just painted the dang thing, dimples and all. Hey when the house is over 160 years old, who cares about drywall dimples?
I've also been offering unsolicited advice for my daughter's Etsy Store. If you actually prefer handcrafted, made in the USA gifts, check out Etsy and BadAmyKnits. Tons of cool stuff.
The Whitehouse Library Home Tour was loverly again. Raised some good money for a good cause. I'm pretty seriously considering having our house in the tour next year. Unless 6 other homeowners just jump at the chance, I'll do it. This year, I'm keeping it simple. Just the bestest ornaments and a few garlands. Okay, there is my Yooper Christmas Village that's taken on a life of its own. YooperVille and ranger-y stuff cover my cutting table, which is taking up all of my foyer, the Acadia Cool Damp & Foggy Village is on the buffet, and there are some other pieces here and there. I could only find one new piece that I liked this year, and a bunch of new people, including Rangers on horseback. They do need to be 'snow painted' though so they fit in. I'll have my crafty corner up and maybe running by Christmas. DH and newest nephew-in-law worked all afternoon in the basement again today. DH has put in a couple of hours here and there. I'm hoping the paneling goes up in the Crafty corner tomorrow or the next day. I'm taking over then. The drywall is up for the 'river portage' wall mural. Yours truly just has to mud and tape the seams and holes. Arg. We have 7 years experience doing this. All 7 years were spent trying to finish the kitchen ceiling in the old house. Finally, I just painted the dang thing, dimples and all. Hey when the house is over 160 years old, who cares about drywall dimples?
I've also been offering unsolicited advice for my daughter's Etsy Store. If you actually prefer handcrafted, made in the USA gifts, check out Etsy and BadAmyKnits. Tons of cool stuff.
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