Kick Me!

I figure if you kick me hard enough I'll forget about the pain in my ear!...Well, that is unless you kick me in the ear, which would entirely defeat the purpose of the whole endeavor!



_{Horse by Kay Miller, Medicine Bottle by Jen Wilson}

I'm taking Augmentin 825 mg tablets twice a day. I thought I wasn't going to get the thumb-sized tablet down my throat...sheesh! Being dead from choking on one of those things would certainly put my ear problems in a different light! I actually made Michael hang out this morning just to make sure I didn't choke as I took my prescription. I was amazed when it went down effortlessly. So, yeah for that. Don't have to go another round until 6:30p.m.

::::::::::::::::::::::Court of Honor::::::::::

Aaron did a CPR demonstration for the Court of Honor for scouts last night. He spoke clearly and did a great job. He only got goofy when Michael wanted him to use the large stuffed animal dog we brought to demonstrate the compressions and breathing. He got a bit flustered, but did it anyway.

Aaron received 4 badges: Climbing, Rifle, Communications, and Indian Lore.

I created a 12 minute slideshow of the current Eagle Scout project and Scout camp. For music I used: "My Own Two Hands" by Jack Johnson and Ben Harper, "I'm Trying to Be Like Jesus" off the Parallel Universe cd of Janice Kapp Perry songs, "Never Give Up" by Ryan Shupe and The Rubberband, and "Wild Boys" by Duran Duran.


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My mom is coming over to take the kids to her house so I can get the packing done. She has taken pity on my condition. She has to drop Denny man (my big brother) off to school, then go to work for a bit. After getting some work done she will come get her tribe of loyal followers. I mean that...they are her fan club!

Later, gators!

Happy Birthday, DENNY!

My big brother's birthday is today! Yeah for Denny!


::::::Introducing King Spencer:


_{background from Bohochic by Michelle Coleman, Felt crown from Hollie Hats by Tiff Brady, Frame from Snapshot Frames by Rhonna Farrer, doodle scepter by Tia Bennett, Lable Brush by Michelle Coleman, sun doodle from the internet, Font: Black Adder ITC, Times New Roman, Porcelain}

My nephew, Spencer, is so adorable. He had a double ear infection last night, but he has such a mello personality we didn't realize he was sick. What a tough little dude!

The kids had fun playing with their cousins. They are all growing up so quickly and it is fascinating and bewildering to watch the process.

I really like how the children are, usually, unsuccessful at playing the aunts and uncles off against their respective parents. Every one respects the rules set up by the individual families, so if a child asks an adult, or an older child to help them with something from another family that person makes sure it is okay with the child's parents first. For example, we are trying to make sure Eve says please when she would like something. She wanted a brownie last night and I had related a story to my sister-in-laws about Eve's refusal to say please at home for a treat she wanted, which she never got because of her stubbornness. The other part to them keeping her from having the brownie was their positive encouragement to all the other children and adults who asked politely. Eve finally caved to the positive peer pressure and said please and Aunt Laura happily gave her a big brownie, while Aunt Shelene and I congratulated Eve on her good choice.

I'm off...to pick up Aaron from his friend Jacob's house, then on to Denny's party.

VIRUS ALERT- WASH IN HOT:

I'm taking a brief moment to give "props" to my husband, children, Amana Washing Machine, Gain (Simple Pleasures w/ Mango and apple scent), and my Amana Clothes dryer. They have all been priceless today and useful. Evey bug has a bug...AGAIN! She started vomiting at 5:00a.m. right after she walked around our full size bed looking for me. Rachel's face threw Eve's powers of discernment off. Rachel had come in to our room about 2 hours earlier saying she had had a nightmare, so I cuddled with her. Once Eve located me she said she had wet and needed to change. (This is very unusual for her). I got Michael up since Rachel was sound asleep on my arm. He promptly got up and cleaned Evey up and cuddled with her. All of us were laying on our sides to fit. He quickly rushed her to the bathroom shortly after. When Rachel found out that Eve was sick she was eager to help. Since Michael was at work the kids all helped me with Eve. They all wanted to replace towels and get anything she needed to drink. Aaron and Rachel watched her briefly when I would run up to do a load of laundry. Rachel actually took out the dry clothes and made sure the lint filter was cleaned and then Aaron put the newly washed load into the dryer for me.
Michael ran by the store and picked up a few more liters of Sprite for this current round of sickness. He also had to get off work an hour early to take Rachel to her orthodontist appointment. Eve had a respite of about 2 hours and then threw up again. Michael is now cuddling her sleeping form on the couch.

School starts back tomorrow and Rachel just informed me that her stomach hurts. HHMMM?!? I think it's time to wash another load of towels!!!




::::::::::::::::::::ON A NICER NOTE::::::::::::

We had a lovely time at my mom and Jim's house for New Year's Day. The food was yummy and Jim's mother taught my mom and me how to play a dice game called Chicken. I won...woot woot! No money, or course...just fun.

My brother is byooki, too! Byooki is a Japanese word for sick...just like Evey.

:::::::::::::::SICK KIDS::::::::::::::

Noah really likes the new Mucinex melt aways for kids. It really seems to help his coughing be more productive and looser.

Aaron had gastrointeritis. Towels...lots of towels. Michael Lysoled the bathroom.

I'm thinking it might not be a bad idea to set up a small curtained entry way that acts just like one of those decontamination barriers you see on all the sci-fi flicks!

Wishing you HEALTH and HAPPINESS for the new year!

Denny Survived:

We are back home from our weekend of Denny sitting and I am happy to report he survived the weekend with the loud Taylor kids and their parents! My parents had a wonderful time in Tennesee at the wedding of their niece, Katie. They took some fun photos of their tripclick here for the blog post of the trip. I suggest you check out my step father's photo of his mother with her 3 sisters. 3 out of the 4 look almost identical. The title to the photo is "Irish Mount Rushmore". We also call them the Keebler Elves. They are so cute.

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Update on the teacher conference with Rachel. It appears that Rachel is holding her emotions in until she gets home, so she exhibits only happy behavior at school. She sees the reminders given for not following directions as a personal issue. Rachel thinks the teacher doesn't like her and feels like everything she does never measures up, so she dwells on these feelings of inadequacy rather than saying, "oh, I shouldn't have done that, I'll just not do that again", and move on with her day. I was not an overly emotional child. I was rather independent and a latch key kid, so I had to be organized and I didn't put much emphasis on the teacher liking me, or not. I do remember liking my teacher. I worry that she pins her emotions on how others persive her, which can be such shaky stuff. I'm really not sure how to deal with her emotions and obviously, neither is she.

I was impressed with the teacher's handling of the situation. She was direct and caring with Rachel's feelings. She let Rachel know why the rules were in place and why reminders were given, but that her having to "pull" these reminders in know way reflected on Rachel as being bad or causing the teacher to dislike her. Rachel wanted to be a bit silly and evasive because she was nervous and the teacher and I would reassure her that we were serious about calming her fears and feelings of not being perfect. The teacher reiterated that everyone makes mistakes, but we learn from them and move on and do the best we can.

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Noah is thrilled that one of the boys in his class just moved in across the street. He can't wait to play after school on Monday. I need to bake some brownies to welcome them to the neighborhood.

This year we are probably going to have a slew of young kids for Halloween. Should be fun!

Tea Party:

Actually, it was a Sprite Party, but tradition must be maintained in this highly civilized occasion!

Noah took over and pretended to be the mother at the head of the table. He, or she, served the tea to each of the ladies at the table. Everyone participated and it was a grand event!


*Notice the pinky action!


Eve dressed up for the occasion.

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Rachel is having a tough time at school, especially, with math. She asked if I would consider home schooling her. I told her she was always welcome to be taught at home, but wanted her to be sure that is what she really wants to do first. I wrote a letter to her teacher and will probably receive a call from her tomorrow afternoon or Monday. Rachel has had teachers who have really liked her in the past and have been on the touchy feely sweet side. Her new teacher is all business and Rachel feels she is failing because she can't seem to ingratiate herself with the teacher. I don't think it is the teacher being unkind, I think she is just a plow ahead and get things done and we don't have time to hug and be cute. I told her if she came home to learn I would give her assignments and expect her to work hard, as well. The problem from what I'm understanding from Rachel is in math the teacher will present a concept, give a quiz, then a test and if you don't do well she still moves on to the next concept. Rachel's attitude towards math is negative, so she is already starting at a negative and she is floundering. I go over her math homework with her and it disturbs me that she is counting on her fingers and not grasping simple math. She has taken standardized tests and scored above average on every subject, so I know the capacity to understand is there, but putting it into every day effect is not happening.

She said she would take in the note and give the situation some more time. I really wouldn't mind having her home. She and Aaron are competitive with each other, so it might light a fire under him to learn more. Rachel could also use Saxon Math, which belabors math concepts in its approach to teaching. This repetion might help her become proficient. I'm just not sure about her somewhat fickle notions, so setting a definite is difficult.


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We will be Denny sitting tomorrow, as my folks are going to a wedding in Tennessee. My mom is super nervous leaving my brother. I don't think my mother has left Denny for longer than 2 days in his 43 years of life. I enjoy overhearing her read his favorite Sesame Street stories to him. She does the best voices! My favorite is "The Diamond D". It is about dumb Dora of Dumbdiddle and the Dreadful Dragon.
Click Herefor the version my mother has, which is on sale at Amazon.com

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Noah, Eve, Aaron, Michael and half of Noah's Tiger Cub den went up Stone Mountain tonight. We had a severe thunderstorm move in and the excursion was almost cancelled, but it scooted on through. Noah said he was glad because he had, "Looked forward to this trip ALL WEEK!"

Rachel and I went to Girl Scouts where she made a paper lantern and I paper-scrapped a 6 X 6 brag book for my sister-in-laws baby. I will have to finish it up tomorrow. The baby is due in 2 weeks!

Sam Taylor We Will Miss You:

An old family friend died last week of a massive coronary. His name was Sam Taylor. He could remember the call letters of my stepfather's C.B. He could remember verbatim conversations that you had with him. Sam's memory was astounding, but his limitation was autism. My brother, Denny, is perpetually hovering around 4 years-old in communication and understanding (from what we can tell). Sam functioned on a genius level. Sam had high aspirations, but being the U.S. President would always elude him. He loved to meet politicians and he was honest. So being autistic and honest would have always kept him from the inner circle of politics. He loved to shake hands with the governors of Georgia. This layout shows Sam, his grandmother, my mother, and brother with the, then, Governor George Busbee.


_{Papers and elements from Fee Jardine's Cool Denim Baby Kit, Font: OldgateLaneOutline, Barbara Hane. Overlay freebie Designs by Lauren at DSP}

Wes Sarginson has done news features about Sam Taylor a few times and he did a final tribute to Sam in this:
News Article and Video Link.


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In Rhonna Farrer's interview in Creative Keepsakes she mentioned one of her new favorite font's called >Newcastle. I went on to check the website called CHANK and found some other wonderful free fonts. The Halloween Font pak by B.J. Harvey was pretty cool. I also liked Cowboy Rumbahut by Matt Frost. There are several neat fonts so see what you think!

Also check Rhonna'sblog she has a link to 5 png files that are awesome for some Halloween fun on cards or layouts. Her link is not only for digital folks. If you paperscrap she has stuff for them too!

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This is my "creation" for the Outrageous Lyric challenge at Scrap Artist. I chose the B 52's song "Love Shack". I figured being from Georgia and having driven down the Atlanta Highway was a good enough reason. So here it is:




_{background photo and sign from Stockexchange Photos, Glitter on the road and front porch by Jen Wilson, Fairies and word blocks by Hope Wallace, Toy Chrysler from Mo Jackson's Party Favors, Jukebox photo from the web, road by Cherie, Daydreamer doodle by nancy Rowe Janitz, Glitter Kiss by Michelle Coleman, glitter heart and the word love by Emily Powers, Fuzzy heart by Kim Christensen and one by Scrapabyte, Font: Minya Nouvelle and paintball, notebook paper from Gina Miller's Note This, pattern paper from Michelle Coleman's Boho Chic, glitter swirl from Michelle Coleman's Birthday Elements, paper man from Maya's Jumping Jacks}

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Noah has his first pack meeting tonight with his Tiger Cub pack. He is excited. Michael just called from the scout office to pick up the missing uniform pieces. Michael had all of Aaron's old patches removed rather quickly. He will have them sewed on in no time.

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I need to go throw some chicken into the slow cooker. I think chicken enchiladas might be good for today!

Smiles!

Cleaning the World...One Piece of Pinestraw at a Time:

_{background paper blends and elements found in Gina Cabrera's Lucky Star kit and Kim Christensen's Rad Kit
Font: Georgia
Alphas: Newspaper by Rikki, and funky black chip board alpha by Gina Miller.}


Text by Jim Towhey:

TV networks save their best for sweeps week; the bi-annual test of what is working and what is not. Of course at our house the term has an entirely different meaning.

As I have noted in the past, our boy Denny is his own man. The inner workings of the autistic mind have never been easy to understand but when Denny decides it is time for something to happen, it usually will.

Denny has always had a penchant for collecting and disposing of the odd detrious of modern life. Each week in the laundry Denny's pockets (when he is willing to wear clothes with pockets) provide handfuls of strange items; Pull tabs from soft drink cans, gum wrappers, rubber bands, pens, lint and the ever-present pine straw.

Denny has always had a "thing" about pine straw, the stringy, brown pine needles that cover our yards, walkways and rooftops here in dixie. Earlier in his lanscaping career our boy would bolt away from us and suddenly pluck flowers and plants out of the ground by their roots and fling them away before we could react. We always coped, but it was tough on the school plantings and relatives yards.

As he aged and slowed down a bit he would simply collect handfuls of pine straw until he could carry no more and then fill the household trash cans or the back seat of the car. Lately Denny has refused to stop collecting the stuff despite our pleas and protests. To adapt, we simply set aside an old cardboard box for him to fill and he is happy. I then get to return the pine straw to the yard.

Today, on his arrival home Denny started collecting mamouth mounds of pine straw and would not come in the house. Rare, since he usually can't wait to hit the fridge and get his favorite treat; and ice cold Pepsi.

With no end to his crazed landscaping in sight, we gave Denny a push broom. The plan was a form of reverse psychology - he usually won't use tools, as they require actual work. To our suprise he attempted to sweep the entire driveway, side walk and lawn free of the offending needles. The guy was workin' his butt off!!

I broke out the leaf blower and backed him up, collecting the big heaping mounds into his box and adding them to the landscaping in the proper place. It was like working with the demented groundskeeper, Karl, from the movie Caddyshack. The wild-eyed man with the broom frantically sweeping the lawn while I attempted to place the collected material where it needed to be.

I eventually had to explain that we were done, and it was time to go in. The boss just handed me the broom and walked away - mission accomplished! I wish he would get this excited about scrubbing tile or cleaning the toilet - then he would have a real "sweeps week" winner!!

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Rachel is my voracious reader, so when I saw on Janna's site about the fun challenge going on at Kathryn Balint's site I joined in and made this page with the freebie made by Carol Baumann:

My handsome brother and some layouts:

If you want to take a peek into the life of a profoundly autistic adult check out my stepfathers hilarious blog. My brother, Denny, has some interesting habits and I am convinced he is telepathically linked to my kids. Now, I'm not sure who is in charge in this situation, but I tell ya it gets kinda weird.




Circus Kit designed by Sandra Boddington at Sweet Shoppe Designs. Notepaper: Magnolia Kit by Katie Pertiet
Fonts Used: Stamped DSG,Pupcat, Too Many Secrets, Artistamp Medium, Tempus Sans ITC. Hand Stamped Alpha by Michelle Coleman.



Kit design by Melissa Rose at Liddy's Loft



Sketch by Jen Caputo.
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My kids are into vintage cartoons. I picked up a dvd pack at Walls...mart one day and gave it to the kids. Popeye was their favorite for a month. Now their favorite is Little Audrey. I can't find a decent photo of her on line, but the kids laugh out loud whenever they watch.

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Another show movie...50 First Dates with Drew Barrymore and Adam Sandler is a film we borrowed and Aaron and Rachel really liked. I, especially, like the end of the film. It is not a Hollyweird ending.

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School is going okay for Rachel and Noah. Rachel is keeping up her chatty ways...I've signed both notes from the teacher, but she likes school. Noah had a blast in science class. The teacher did a word assessment with him and he knew 45% of the words.... Did I tell you he liked science...!

Aaron has not been cooperative at all!!! ARGH! FUME! SIGH! Oh well! He does want to learn some history stuff and music. I have a few Usborne internet-linked books that are pretty cool! For health I had him read about puberty! He was creeped out, but that is normal for lots of folks. Michael has started Aaron's astronomy class. Michael is using his college book and outline as a basis for the class. Aaron thought is was a cool idea until he had to READ! SURPRISE! Did I say...ARGH! FUME! SIGH! The Teenager was arrived...!

My Big Brother:

_{Mo Jackson's Primitive Scrapbooking, Color Happy Papers by Michelle Coleman, overlay by Nancy Rowe Janitz, frame (modified) by Shabby Princess and Font: Pea Lis and Pea Cammi-pea, Edwardian Script ITC}
Text: This is my big brother, Denny! What would I like my kids to know about their uncle as they look at these early photos? From what my mother told me when he was born, Denny, was a quiet baby. He did not fuss to be picked up. That seemed comforting to a brand new mother, but a little strange.. He has a pair of the most beautiful deep brown eyes. In physical build and appearance he is extremely similar to our dad. As he got a little older his hair grew straignt up making him look like he had a cute little buzz cut all the time. When he would play with his toys or with cans everything woulld be lined up perfectly. He would get upset if my mother needed a can from somewhere within his perfect line. When Denny was 4 years-old the diagnosis of Autism was given to the behaviors he was exhibiting. The research into Autism was in its infancy in the United States. He had a behvioral disorder with no clear cause. There were people who held the false belief that Autism was caused by the mother's lack of desire to have the baby when she was pregnant. My mother's love for Denny has never diminished. Our mother met with every leading doctor in the field of Autism research or wrote to them. Doctoral students from Emory University worked with Denny.
He kept an immaculate and perfectly ordered room until I arrived. I created a lot of agitation in his life. My mom said he clapped one hand tightly on my head and said, "GO AWAY!" When my kids tear up stuff I just straightened up I have a greater understanding of how he must have felt. My mom misses the gentle smile she could coax from him when he was small. Now they are forced and distant. Puberty was a tumultous time for him and rather dangerous for him and for us. He is an adult man in his 40s now and the constant in his life is a family who loves him.


---Denny is kind of a phantom that moves around my mother's house. The kids know his room is off limits to toy borrowing, but if Granny goes with them they can give him a kiss. His weight level is on the slim side these days, so we call him skinny Denny. Several years ago he had a long period of time where he ate only hormel chili. He got heavy and we nicknamed him Buddha Boy and said you could rub his tummy for good luck. He is sort of the Oprah of the Autistic community.
My step father gives him a shower and a shave everyday. My mother takes him to school at the DeKalb Service Center where he has a wonderful teacher named Steve. His friend, Debbie, got moved to another class recently and Denny is not pleased. My step mother cuts Denny's thick brown hair. I find it a blessing that our step parents give inordinate amounts of unconditional love and service.

My brother has the coolest bed sheets by the way. He has the original Battlestar Galactica, Star Wars and Disney's Robin Hood bed sheets. They are growing thread bare, but my mother's attempts to change them have been met with disapproval.

---Speaking of meeting with disapproval... my 3 year-old is crying because I made her the DREADED pancakes instead of waffles. I think I might break out the old "There are people starving in Africa..." line because I'm not making something different to appease a tantrum. Stubborn mom...stubborn 3 year old.

Smiles everyone smiles (even if this isn't Fantasy Island)!

Mama Doris

_{I used Paper Moons kit by Anna Benjamin called "Cuppy's Room" and Gina Miller's BYOBB Kit Add On Kit. Font used: Mama Script}

Text: What I see know when I look at this photograph is that
Mama Doris Harris came to visit us at our little apartment off Shallowford Road in Decatur. Mama Doris always used this same color of red to dye her hair for as long as she lived.
My brother, Denny, who was diagnosed with autism at the age of four used to smile for the camera. He would smile until right about the time he reached puberty, then he only smiled a forced smile when instructed to do so. Before I came along he kept his room very neat and clean. One day when I was playing when I was very young he gripped the top of my head tightly and told me to "Go Away.' I feel bad for messing up the world he needed to keep in an organized way.
My mom says my birth helped her keep things in perspective and that it was nice to be able to talk to someone.
I would spend summers with Mama Doris and Daddy Bill in Phenix City Alabama, where she would ply me with all sorts of treats: Pringles, Krispy Kreme doughnuts, Reese Cups, vanilla ice cream, Coca Cola, Loorna Doones and Sugar Wafers.
From Mama Doris I learned sarcasm could be honed to a fine art, one my husband doesn't particularly want me to use. She also kept her home immaculate and always presented herself in an elegant manner whenever she left her home.
Single photos can illicit so many memories....

My Mom

Text:
"Before she was my mom she was voted "Most Friendly" in her high school in Alabama. That personality remains. Wherever we go she seems to know someone, if she doesn't she introduces herself quickly. When I was a kid she would take me to work with her at The Emory Clinic, where she worked as a medical secretary. She let me "work" with her at my own desk. I loved to sharpen pencils and straighten up papers. She would buy me an Eskimo Pie for being a good helper. My brother, Denny, is profoundly Autistic. She gathered as much information as she could to be his advocate. She still does that for him today. He lives with her and my stepfather. Sometimes when I visit with my children I get to hear her read the same stories that she would read us both when we were little kids. Denny still loves the story of "The Diamond D" from the Sesame Street book.
Now she is known to my four children as Granny Sue. She invites them to spend Friday evenings as a sleepover in her home. She teaches them to make biscuits for breakfast on Saturday mornings. She also makes sure they have paper, pens, crayons and paints so that they can create art while sitting in her kitchen. She is truly a "GRAND" Mother!"

This layout used Dorothy's Kitchen, Crepe Paper flowers and butterfly wings created by Mo Jackson. The font: Michele

My mother has taken care of my autistic brother for 43 years and she amazes me every day with patience, fierce determination and love. I was fortunate to have a wonderful book recommended to me by a friend. She knows we have reading night with our children every evening and suggested the book Alcapone Does My Shirts by Gennifer Cheldenko. My friend did not know that I had an autistic brother. This book so clearly expressed the frustrations and hopes that the family has for an autistic child. My children comforted me as I cried reading the book to them. The book opened opportunities to discuss my childhood with my brothers autistic idiosyncrasies and sometimes violent outbursts during his adolecense. I am proud of my children for simply excepting Denny for the person he is, their Uncle Denny. So, if you get a chance check out Alcapone Does My Shirts from your local library.