Category Archives: Uncategorized

The Call

Today is the first day of summer camp for the kids. I had an appointment for an educational evaluation for Riley, so Todd dropped them off. He said our girl bopped right in, introduced herself to new counselors, greeted ones … Continue reading

Posted in marriage, special needs parenting, Uncategorized | 10 Comments

Email from HT Yesterday

Him: Hey dog. How are you? I hope you are having a good morning. Me: I’m fine. We’re having a good day. BTW, It’s dawg, not dog. If you call me “dog,” it just means you think I’m not pretty. … Continue reading

Posted in appreciation, Uncategorized | 5 Comments

The Father of My Children

You, pressed up against my back, we’re spoons. You breathe in and out, and it’s easier to focus on your breath than my own. I use it to go into the gap. Napping in the afternoon on a Saturday. You … Continue reading

Posted in appreciation, Uncategorized | 5 Comments

What is Happening?

A little boy, one we don’t know, swam over to Riley as she was sitting on the edge of the pool, tentatively easing her way into the water. He was about ten. As he approached her he asked, with a … Continue reading

Posted in autism, special needs parenting, Uncategorized | 5 Comments

Look at her go!

It’s been a big week for Riley. Over the weekend she had four girls sleep over. It went off without a hitch. Total success. Yesterday, our second day at the public pool this season, she took both feet off the … Continue reading

Posted in appreciation, Asperger's, special needs parenting, Uncategorized | 12 Comments

Helicopter Mom

It’s not that there is a shortage of things to write about. There are always a million things going on, only a teeny portion of which ends up here on the ole blog. Finding time has been the challenge. Doing … Continue reading

Posted in Asperger's, autism, bio-med, IVIG, PANDAS, special needs parenting, Specific Carb Diet, spirituality, Uncategorized | Comments Off on Helicopter Mom

Swim With a Stud-Muffin

Living from the Heart is offering an amazing dolphin retreat in Sept.                   This is Seth with Amizcle, (Uh-MEEZ-clay) the enormous 600 lb playful loving dolphin stud-muffin (he’s got like 18 kids). … Continue reading

Posted in appreciation, Asperger's, Dolphin Therapy, Mexico, special needs parenting, Uncategorized | 3 Comments

The Divine Ms. R.

I’ve mentioned Riley’s lack of false modesty here before. If you give her a compliment, her usual response is to agree with you. You: “You are so cute!” Her: “I know.” (We’ve worked on a simple thank you being a … Continue reading

Posted in appreciation, Asperger's, Uncategorized | 7 Comments

Music Therapy

Last night was the music party which completed Riley’s year of music therapy. It was bitter sweet for me, because she will not be continuing with music therapy in the fall. Riley has a wonderful musical ear, which we tried … Continue reading

Posted in appreciation, Asperger's, special needs, special needs siblings, Uncategorized | 10 Comments

A Camper’s Dream

This will be Riley’s fourth year of music camp. From her first summer there she’s had her eyes on the prize. She wants to be a camp counselor.  One of her music therapists heard of this dream a couple of … Continue reading

Posted in appreciation, Asperger's, special needs parenting, Uncategorized | 11 Comments

Finding my way on the deck

Right this moment, I am fine. I keep telling myself that. Today was a rough day. I have been slaving in my too small kitchen for a month, making every morsel for my family from scratch. It’s been hot. We … Continue reading

Posted in appreciation, Asperger's, special needs parenting, Uncategorized | 16 Comments

Memorial Day

Gratitude to the Russells and to all who are serving or have served our country. Thank you.  

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Self Imposed Doors

We have this little nook in our kitchen. It has shelves above it that store our everyday plates and cups and glasses and platters. We use it constantly. The counter used to become a catch all, getting out of control … Continue reading

Posted in appreciation, Uncategorized | 6 Comments

Boat Lift

I saw the video below on a friend’s Facebook page. At first I didn’t want to watch it, because honestly, thinking about 9/11 is still traumatic for me. I was half way across the country in the Chicago suburbs at … Continue reading

Posted in appreciation, Love., Uncategorized | 4 Comments

Craving

In the kitchen. A lot. Breakfast today: It was homemade yogurt with fruit. I put honey and vanilla in the yogurt, then some cinnamon, and added frozen fruit to Riley’s, a homemade spice muffin crumbled into Seth’s. He didn’t love … Continue reading

Posted in special needs parenting, Specific Carb Diet, Uncategorized | 7 Comments

Our Mini Vacation in Hocking Hills

You could barely see our cabin from the one lane dirt road you drove up on to get to it. It was the perfect combination of comfort and rustic. Nothing fancy. And yet, it had a full kitchen (complete with … Continue reading

Posted in appreciation, marriage, Uncategorized | 12 Comments

Singing & Hiking

    It’s been busy. Windsong had a really fun concert on Mother’s Day. We hosted the The North Coast Men’s Chorus and did a combined couple of numbers with them and it was so much FUN! I love being … Continue reading

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Susie Homemaker

So while it has been nerve wracking and awful at times, trying to figure out what to feed everyone (Todd doesn’t like coconut, Seth doesn’t like anything), I have to admit it is quite gratifying to see my children gobbling … Continue reading

Posted in Specific Carb Diet, Uncategorized | 11 Comments

The Grump Family

I have been dealing with a very bad cold since Tuesday. The kind that doesn’t allow you to sleep because so much is going in with your throat, ears, nose, sinuses, that kind of thing. Seth had it first, then … Continue reading

Posted in appreciation, Asperger's, autism, Forgiveness, special needs, special needs parenting, Specific Carb Diet, Uncategorized | 7 Comments

Specific Carb Diet….Again

So, we tried IVIG for six months, and while it is doing a bit of good in between infusions, by about the third week Seth’s tics start happening again. His strep titers are still quite high. It is more of … Continue reading

Posted in Asperger's, PANDAS, Specific Carb Diet, Uncategorized | 10 Comments