Sparks and Butterflies...

But aside from that, she's still completely normal

Happy Thanksgiving

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I want to wish you and yours a very Happy Thanksgiving.

This year, I’m grateful for surviving the year. I’m grateful my husband sticks by me and supports me no matter what crazy ideas I get. I’m grateful he works hard, and understands our needs, and continues to try and better himself and our situation. I’m grateful that my boys are relatively healthy. I’m grateful that in this last year I’ve been able to clothe and feed them, no matter what. I’m grateful that they are in general kind, generous, polite, and respectful. I’m grateful for their personal strengths and talents. I’m grateful for my abilities as they are helping the household. I’m grateful to have the food on our table.

I’m grateful.

Thanksgiving Update

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Green bean casserole is ready for the oven.

Chili rice is ready for the oven.

Stuffing is ready for Turkey and the oven.

Corn pudding is ready for the oven.

Up for today is pumpkin pies, and peeling and chopping the potatoes. A friend told me that I can get them ready for boiling, get them on the pot, and they’ll be fine overnight, provided they are totally covered with water.

Tomorrow will be all about the Turkey & gravy, and playing “what can fit in the oven now?” odds and ends.

This is probably the most prepared I’ve been for Thanksgiving ever. Which is good. Family exhausts me, so I need all the help I can get!

Ever Done an IEP? Then You Must Read

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I have not one, but two kids on an IEP. One goes to a specialized Jr. High on an IEP, and the other goes to a regular elementary school on an IEP through a 504 – a medical case.

If you’ve never done an IEP, basically there’s a team there. Ours usually consists of the principal, director of the Special Ed Program, school/district Psychologist, personal therapist, teacher, special Ed teachers, Occupational Therapists, Speech Therapists (although they’ve not been around for a while for us), and the PE Teacher and District Nurse (in one kid’s case). They go around the room saying everything that’s wrong with your kid. Then they go around again saying what the last meeting’s goals were. They go around again, saying how the kids did (or didn’t) on meeting that goal. Then they go around again making goals for the next time. Then they go around again so everyone can sign they were there and agree.

I wear pink hair and combat boots, ’cause these things are war, man.

And so, I bring you Ways to Make Your Next IEP Awesome. If you’ve ever been there, she nails it. Perhaps I should forgo the pink hair and go for all out Braveheart war makeup.

Not Enough to go Around

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Do you ever wonder if you just don’t have what it takes?

I feel like I’m spinning my wheels and not doing anything right. I’m working full time, yes. But the money is so little it’s not putting a dent into what we owe.

My parents are mad at me all the time – I can’t do anything right. They’ve even started undermining my parental authority, which is new and has never happened before.

I feel like I never see Poe, ’cause of our wonky schedules.

I repeat myself ad naseum to my kids, and yet they don’t change their behavior, regardless of consistency, discipline, schedules, and consequences.

And now I just got a note from a friend, because we never talk.

I feel like I’m spread too thin on too much toast.

Sunday Before Thanksgiving

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This week is Thanksgiving. I am cooking for the whole family. I am also working. Somehow I have pull this off. And so, today, Sunday, I’m filled with a bit of paralysis as I contemplate the next week. And so, I give you our Thanksgiving menu.

  • Turkey
  • Stuffing
  • Cranberry sauce
  • Mashed Potatoes and Gravy
  • Rolls
  • Carmen’s Corn Pudding
  • Sweet Potatoes (parents are bringing)
  • Green Bean Casserole
  • Chili Rice (an ex’s Mom’s recipe)
  • Pumpkin pie

I’m already tired.

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