Dealing w/Stress: Special Needs Blog Hop

How do I deal with stress? Good question, probably better asked of my husband. I knit, cook, watch TV, surf the web, do whatever I can to escape just for a little while. Between family and friends, I'm extremely lucky to have a support system that offers me relief if I really need it. I basically throw the boys at Andy when he comes home from work. That man never catches a break.

My favorite time of the day is 8:30 PM. The boys are in bed and Andy and I can relax on the sofa with our feet up and a glass of wine or cup of herbal tea. The time of day I dread the most? 6:45 am. That's when the damned annoying alarm tells me to get up and start all over again.

I don't know that I really answered the question. Let's just say I relieve stress with friends, family and the occasional glass of wine.



For those of you in the Tidewater area, the 2nd Annual Tidewater Autism Summit is this Saturday from 11am to 4pm. It's absolutely free and open to the public. Here's a link to the flyer with all the information: http://files.meetup.com/817378/Summit%20Flyer%202010.pdf

Xander Takes a Ride with Surfers Healing

Every year an amazing group travels around the country and world to provide people with autism and their families a fantastic day at the beach. The group is called Surfers Healing. It is made up of incredible volunteers who do everything from checking people in to taking people with autism surfing. The families and their children are treated with respect. It's a safe haven where there are no judgements, only love, joy and acceptance. For more information on Surfers Healing, click on the picture of Xander and Izzy from 2008.

This was Xander's 4th year and it was the first time he actually put his feet on the board. In the past, he would lift his feet up so his surfer would have to carry him the entire time. Another wonderful year.

Thank you, Surfers Healing, for all you do!

Who am I? Special Needs Blog Hop 2

I've hooked up on a Special Needs Blog Hop and am really enjoying the different blogs I've discovered through it. I was, as always, a little unclear as to what I was supposed to do. I posted the button and answered the question of the week in the comment section for Autism Learning Felt. Oops. It seems I was to blog the answer.

So here goes: Who am I?

Good question. I'm not sure I have the answer myself. I am a wife, mother of two who enjoys potty humor much more than I should and am seriously in need of a nap . I'm fiercely loyal. I was recently diagnosed with ADD. This comes as no surprise to anyone who knows me. My husband is fantastic and somehow manages to tolerate Spencer and me with quite a sense of humor. Xander, my 7yr old, is basically Andy with autism. Spencer, my 4yr old, is me only male, more enthusiastic and much smarter. Click HERE for a better understanding of my boys.

What is my blog about?

Honestly, it's a mixed bag. I just blog when something strikes my fancy or pisses me off. A good portion of it deals with autism.

To join the Special Needs Blog Hop, click the picture below and follow the instructions.

I like Stephanopoulos

Spencer and I were watching GMA this morning. George Stephanopoulos was interviewing Mayor Daley of Chicago and I made a comment about how charismatic Mayor Daley is. Spencer responded with, "I like Stephanopoulos." I was a little taken aback, first, because he could pronounce "Stephanopoulos" with such ease and second, because he knew who "Stephanopoulos" was. Here's the conversation that followed.

Me: "Ok, why?"

Spencer: "Because Stephanopoulos is cool."

Me: "What makes him cool?"

Spencer: "He's wearing a fancy shirt."

Me: "Is that all?"

Spencer: "And I like his eyes and he's wearing a purple tie."

Me: "Anything else?"

Spencer: "Nope."

Me: "Fair enough."

So, Mr. Stephanopoulos, it seems you have a fan in a 4yr old boy. Rock on, George.

Blogging for Autism

Tammy from the Autism Learning Felt has a great idea about blogging for autism. I won't be silent; however, I will be blogging. Check it out by clicking on the picture below:

Hot Buttons

I blatantly stole this quote from jillsmo's blog, Yeah, Good Times.

"Try to keep up: The dehumanizing bigotries that fall from the lips of “faithful Christians,” and the lies about us that vomit out from the pulpits of churches that “faithful Christians” drag their kids to on Sundays, give your children license to verbally abuse, humiliate, and condemn the gay children they encounter at school. And many of your children—having listened to Mom and Dad talk about how gay marriage is a threat to family and how gay sex makes their magic sky friend Jesus cry—feel justified in physically abusing the LGBT children they encounter in their schools. You don’t have to explicitly “encourage [your] children to mock, hurt, or intimidate” queer kids. Your encouragement—along with your hatred and fear—is implicit. It’s here, it’s clear, and we’re seeing the fruits of it: dead children."  -  Dan Savage    

Homophobia and bullying are two of my biggest hot buttons. Both piss me off to no end.

This is one of my new favorite PSA's. It is NSFW if your work doesn't allow swearing. Sorry if you're offended....not really.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ohybtaEsOCM