Crowe's Nest Farm aka the field trip from hell

Ok, so it wasn't that bad.  But seriously.  Taking an autistic child out of their routine is pretty much torture.  Logan kept asking to go to the car.  All of the other kids were so excited to 1) have ridden an actual school bus (many for the 1st time).  2). To be on a real farm!  3). To not be in school!

Logan.  Not so much.  I don't know if me being there was a help or hinderance.  I just never know.

 Fuck you and this stupid fucking 'field trip.'

No.  I don't care how we get milk from a cow.  Quite frankly I think it's gross.  This whole thing is gross.  Can we leave?

Ok.  I sorta wanna see this old ass turkey with the gross bead things in his chest.

Ew.  Never mind.

Yep.  Obligatory picture with me and a stupid miniature horse.  Happy now?

Hansel and Gretel?  I dunno. But all I know is that I tripped because you told me to go over there for a picture and I tried to go take that damn peppermint candy from them.  Happy moms?!

Rapunzel.  Aka this is so fucking stupid.

Yep.  Peace out.  Don't make me do this agian.

Team Meeting

We had our ABA team meeting tonight.  It was encouraging to see all of the progress Logan has been making.  We definitely have new and exciting challenges that have popped up recently.  Once you think you finally managed to handle/control one thing something else comes along to throw you for a loop.  I supposed that's parenting with a NT child too, right?

I thought I had plenty of time to finish up some cleaning and laundry and get some dishes started tomorrow until I realized that I volunteered to chaperone Logan's field trip.  Tomorrow.  Darn it!

Cleaning!

Yesterday after soccer we had grand plans of cleaning things out.  It didn't happen.  We were cold and the smells of cranberry sauce and Korean short ribs in the crock pot made us lazy.  Christmas movies felt oh so right.

So today we knew we needed to get things done.  Right after soccer we ran over to our appointment with Caring Santa.  Amazing!  

There were even cute crafts for the kids to do and coffee for the adults!

After Santa pics we had lunch at Isabel's choice, Waterloo.  The kids had fun playing in the play structure before we put the hammer down and told them it was cleaning time.

The oven is finally clean!

It's beautiful.  I would have taken a 'before' photo but it was truly disgusting.

I also finally cleaned out the freezer.  A bottle of wine exploded in there about 8 months ago and I had yet to clean it out. Gross, I know.  Today was the day!

It doesn't look like much, but there was an impressive layer of ice down there.

And the study.  My nemesis.

Woohoo!!!!!

Korean short ribs, cranberry sauce and soccer

We had a very chilly (ok, not that chilly. 60 degrees with wind) soccer game this morning.  Izzy played great.  

Trying to stay warm.

The blanket was a bigger attraction than the game.

I made Korean short ribs and another batch of cranberry sauce in the crock pot.  Both were amazing.  I printed out Thanksgivkng recipes and we started grocery shopping.  Bought our 16.91lb fresh turkey 

and felt slightly robbed with the price tag.  I'm going to brine it like I did the last time I hosted (about 11 years ago!)

Some photos from the park yesterday.

How?!

How is it one week away from Thanksgiving?!  Usually I'm completely Christmas ready and have been for a month by now.  Not this year.  I was shocked to hear that one of the local stations is playing 24 hours of Christmas music already.  And by shocked I mean, positively thrilled and freaked out!

It's sped, TA, etc appreciation week at school this week.  So I'm bringing everyone lunch tomorrow and gave Kathy and Jane flowers.  They sell the cutest little bunch of flowers at HEB for $15.  Perfect!

Today I went to a PTA meeting and then worked in the workroom for a few hours. I'm feeling about 70% better.  Still getting tired really easily, but luckily laminating and copying aren't that strenuous.  Met up with the kids for lunch.  The cafeteria does a Thanksgiving feast a week before Thanksgiving, so that was today.  Logan had his turkey lunch, but Izzy ended up with a bean burrito.  😂. It was fun to have lunch with the kids.  It's been a little while.

Still don't have that damn study cleaned out yet.  I find a million things to do instead.  Today it was 6 loads of laundry. 

One day.  One day.  I'm coming for you!

Z Pack

Best feeling in the world?  When you've been sick for 2 weeks and finally go to the doctor and get some hope that you can knock out your crud by Thanksgiving.  Also, when your husband comes home unexpectedly an hour early just in time to give the kids baths.

I've been sick, but have had so many ideas for stuff that I want to get done.  It's not fair!  Motivation, but no energy.  I did almost get the study cleaned out.  20% left to do.  I better feel good enough to get it done this week.

Tomorrow Logan goes in to get the happy juice and gas and get his cap replaced.  Oh joy.  I also have my first ever special needs parent meeting at Kiker!  I couldn't miss it, but I can only go for a few minutes before I need to take Logan to his dentist appointment.

I did my first solo meals on wheels run Monday.  Went great!  I didn't get lost and think I delivered all the meals correctly.  Last time we had to go back because we forgot to deliver 2 hot meals.  Oops.  Luckily our clients didn't mind and I think one of them secretly was happy we had to go back.  She's a doll.

Workroom and PTA meetings this week.  Probably should just take a nap instead.

Too funny not to share.

And some pretty sunset pictures:

Follow up

We had Logan's follow up ARD.  It went fine.  Hopefully everyone is on the same page.

Logan had his EEG in the hospital.  The results came back normal.  You're welcome for that BMW car payment Dr. P.

Logan is having one of his molar caps replaced this week under sedation.  You're welcome for that Audi car payment Mr. J.

Report cards came out a couple of weeks ago. Both kids did really well.  I'm very proud of how hard they both work.

We are in full on panic Thanksgiving mode. Less than 2 weeks away!  We have been doing some DIY craft projects.  One last week was a complete failure.  I wish I would have taken a picture.  Pitiful.  Isabel and I started another one today.  Hopefully it will turn out ok!  So far so good.

Brian fixed the broken shower head in the kids' bathroom and also put the tree up today.  Yay!

We bought a new shower head assembly with faucet for our shower, but I think I'm going to call a plumber to install it.  Soldering copper is not in Brian's bag of tricks.

Isabel has her soccer fun fest today.  It was supposed to be the end of the season but we still have 2 more games due to the rain outs.

The cutest little Mustangs!

And .....Christams is coming!

First ornament on the tree is all Logan

Annual ARD and Scenes from the weekend

We had part 1 of our annual ARD last Thursday.  It went really well.  The principal was definitely in the 'kicking ass and taking names/I am in charge and this will be done right' mode.  It was sort of awesome.  Brian and the SLP went head to head again.  There was some wording and inferences in the evaluation that we had a major issue with.  Logan does qualify for both speech and OT from the school this year.  OT is sort of a joke.  It's 30 minutes of indirect instruction (classroom observation/talking to the teacher with recommendations) once a MONTH.  Speech will be two 30 minute sessions weekly.  We didn't even make it to reviewing the proposed BIP.  This is what our main focus was going to be, so we refused to sign and will recess and reconvene after 10 days.  I must say, I was super impressed with the principal.  I am so happy she's back and in charge.

We also followed up (again) with our pediatric neurologist about Logan's speech regressions.  He will  be having a 24 hour EEG (hopefully) in-home in the next week or so.  If he won't cooperate for an in-home EEG we will have to have it done in the hospital.  Please send your good thoughts/prayers that we can get this done in-home.  We really don't want an overnight hospital stay bill.

Brian and his Dad went to the F1 race events this weekend.  Saturday was total wash, but they were able to see qualifying and the race today.  We stayed home and watched a lot of movies!  Jan watched Logan while I took Isabel to her birthday party today.  We all went to Isabel's Girl Scout ceremony after the party.

I'm looking forward to a lower key week this week.  After an insanely busy week last week all I have this week is the kids' Fall parties at school on Friday.  I'm really hoping to get some organizing and cleaning out done.  I'm looking at you study.

Clean clean clean

It started out with me wanting to clean the car out.  I'm driving for Meals on Wheels tomorrow and the car was a mess.  It ended with a complete detail and a garage clean out.  Still not done with the garage, but we are making progress.  Didn't get the front door polyurethane'd yet.  I'm also itching to restrain the stairway banister.  One thing at a time.  This week is really busy again, so won't get started on that soon.

At least the car is clean and smells great!  I love that feeling.

Brian took Isabel to see Hotel Transalvania 2.  She's been begging to see it since it came out.  I have the (hopefully) awesome dinner in the crock pot.  There is a lot of prep time before it will be done, so I volunteered to stay home with Logan.  I hope it tastes as good as its smelling!

Mr.  Sticky is feeling better today.  No fever.  Good news.  His sonicare toothbrush came today.  I'm excited to try it out tonight!

Brian also got the temporary screen uproar I purchased on Groupon about 6 months ago.  

Logan is fascinated with it.

Strep AGAIN

This poor little boy has strep again.  😢

Again, so glad our pediatrician's office has weekend/night hours.  We even saw our regular pedi today.  This time no puking, but high fevers.  I really hate high fever.  Logan is super super lethargic.  It came in very suddenly.  We were having a really really hard time at ABA yesterday and I just told his therapist that he was either too tired or not feeling well and that we needed to end early.  He was clearly miserable.  A couple of hours later he spiked a high fever.  Anyway, now we have a different antibiotic and hopefully little dude will be better fast.

Icee while waiting on medicine at Target.  I decided to stop using Walgreens except for after hours emergencies.  They are consistently terrible.  I'm not the only one who has had serious problems with our local Walgreens.  I'm not sure what the deal is, but there are always super long wait times and rude employees.  I finally had it today trying to pick up a rx for Isabel and just left and called Target to get it transferred over there.

Isabel had a good soccer game this morning.  Brian took her while I was at the doctor with Logan.  She always looks forward to seeing her buddies on Saturday!

I'm trying a (hopefully) amazing crock pot recipe tomorrow.  I'll post the recipe of it turns out good.

Confession time

Brian went to LA to visit his brother and sister in-law last weekend for 4 days.  It was a much needed and deserved little break for him.  He got to see the USMNT lose to Mexico in a sold out Rose Bowl!  Amazing!  Anyway before he left I made a Costco run and on a whim bought a bag of dark chocolate covered dried figs.  That is all I ate for 2 of those 4 days.  Yum.  No regrets.

I took a nice, long shower today and then thought 'what the hell, I'm going to take a nap.'  It was noon.  I set my phone alarm for 2pm 'just in case' I slept that long.  I was fully expecting to wake up around 12:30.  Um, yeah.  I woke up at 1:45pm.  It was glorious. 

I've been having lovely passive-aggressive interactions with my friend in the front office all week.  It's so awesome coming in to 'work' for your volunteer 'job' 2.5 hours regularly and having her give me the side eye.

Yep, still me!  Can't scare me off!  Hahaha!  Going in tomorrow to help a friend too!  Sucker.

We have Logan's annual ARD next week.  It's the big one ya'll!  BIG ONE!  We will have a pre-ARD to go over everything prior to the actual ARD.  Wanna know a secret?  We have a secret weapon whose identity shall remain anonymous.

Other confessions?  When someone emails me about a 'problem' and I have some kick-ass responses (because 99% of the problems are YOU DIDN'T READ THE EMAIL/HANDOUT) I sort of want to gloat.  Sort of.

Barton Hills Farms and some General Halloween

IYesterday we went to Barton Hills farm with the Girl Scout troop.  The high was 97 degrees.  Super Fall-like weather.  The place was about 45 minutes away.  I had never been to this one before.  They have a really big corn maze and a smaller maze.  Of course the girls voted to do the big maze.  Of course.

Before the maze we hit up the bouncy pillow.  Always a hit.

So off we went into the maze.  There were 10 stations where you answered questions and it told you which way to turn.  At station 3 Logan asked to be picked up.  He was so red and sweaty.  So I carried his ass to the next 2 stations.  Luckily there was a way out after station 5 and all of the parents were like 'yay!  We made it!' And left the stupid maze of heat and death.

He looks thrilled.

After that we got lunch and found an actual shady spot.  It was tolerable for being 96 degrees out.  After lunch we sped by the small petting zoo, took some pictures in the actual pumpkin patch, hit up the slides and train and called it a day.

For some silly reason I decided to run errands after the sauna fest.  Gotta get that glitter to glitter pumpkins!

Sunday night was the premier of Walking Dead!  Yes!  I attempted to make some zombie/spooky stuff.

Caprese salad eyeballs.  Or something.

Skull veggie lasagna.  Isabel would like it known that she likes the 'regular lasagna' better.  Well don't we all like sausage, ground beef and fat?

It was fun.

Today Isabel went swimming with a friend (because, you know, the high was 99( while Logan and I glittered some pumpkins and he made a masterpiece watercolor.

Isn't it gorgeous?!  I love it.

Some random Halloween pictures around the house:

Our glitter pumpkins!