The end of Spring Break

Dear Yoga Pants (pairs 1, 2 and 3),

It has been a glorious 13 or so days together but I am afraid it is time to part. It's not you, it's me. See, I have lunches packed, eggs hard boiled, smoothies made, and the coffee pot is set up. 

To go off at 5:15am. 

Do you see why we must part? We would lounge in bed until 11am or so, eat a little something (though I do have to thank you for a decent weight loss: sleeping thru breakfast significantly cuts my calories for the day), then maybe tackle laundry or some other trivial house keeping task, take a nap, then do carpool duty. Dinner, then back to bed. Lord that was nice.

I thank you for your undying loyalty, though there were days I did not shower and I took you out while not looking my best. You are a trooper. You deserve better.

The upside is: the weekend is only FIVE days away. We can rendezvous again on Friday afternoon. If you want. I can meet you in the closet.

Friends always,

Cat

Now that I got that out of my system, how are you all??? I have literally been to work 2 days in the last two weeks and I cannot WAIT to go back tomorrow. Being home is good, I have slept more this last week than the last decade but I am bored and want to do something. Emily was in AZ with her dad and step mom and Jack was at school. So it was me and Griff for a week. We were going to eat our way thru Columbus for lunch and we went local the first two days. Then he started sleeping till 1pm every day and we didn't go out. Ho hum, at best.

Here are some pics of me with Jack on his spring break:

We did all kinds of fun stuff, connected with a friend I haven't seen in years, just enjoyed our time together.

This is Spring Break with a 12 year old boy

Replay that scene every day for 5 days and you get what I was dealing with. It's all good, I caught up on a decade of sleep in one week.

I hope you all got the chance to do something with your families. Doesn't matter where you go (or don't go) but as long as you hung out together, it's all good.

I am in full swing with a weight loss challenge with my neighbors and have been logging in myfitnesspal.com. I have been doing really well and am hoping to keep it up when I go back to work tomorrow.

Spring is coming, I am sure of it. Right???

Would love to get to 20 followers, not begging....just saying...

Cat

Kids say the darndest things....

I have to laugh a little when I look back at this years posts and there is one from the beginning of Feb titled "A gentler me". Boy, that was a big lie. My life the past two years has been anything but gentle. I share this story in hopes that some, if not all of you, can identify and feel like you are not so alone.

Just about two years ago we received the diagnosis of Autism for Jack. I have made my mission in life to research everything I could to make his life easier. And in that time, I have spent a lot of time being really angry. Really angry with him, with schools, with busing, with my other kids, with my husband, but most of all with me. Some how, this was all my fault. All. My. Fault.

The last two years I have done nothing but abuse my body. Through food, alcohol, lack of sleep, lack of exercise, you get the idea. I felt like he was suffering so I should be too. And then Griffin said something to me this week that made me stop in my tracks.

He asked why I watch sad videos and cry all the time. My response was "Because I want to know there are other people out there going thru a rough time". Bingo. I clearly need some support. I literally would wake up every morning just pissed off at someone/something. That takes a ridiculous amount of effort and I would rather do something that makes me happy.

I am lucky enough to have a fantastic group of parents thru Jack's school and some very close friends (Beenie Weenie and Mighty Mouse) who have been instrumental in pulling me out of this dark hole. The stories they tell and the things they have been thru make me realize we all have hurdles and it is our job as parents to jump them. Someone has it harder than I do every day, but we all do what we can for our kids.

I have realized that Autism does not define my lifestyle, it is just a part of who we are as a family. We are so much more than that: We are acceptance into Zoo School for Emily next year: we are Big League baseball for Griffin who has been asked to be on several teams: We are a child who finally likes going to school: we are a husband and wife who are trying to do the best we can for each other and our kids. THAT is who we are. Together we are stronger as a whole.

In this path of not letting Autism define me, I am getting back into running, stepping away from people who don't make me happy, forging new friendships, and treating myself the way I should have been all along. I am stepping back from reading a lot about Autism and doing more reading to make me happy. These last three months at Jack's new school has shown me he will be ok, we will get to a good place.

And when I woke up this morning pissed off that Griff had stayed up till 1am on the computer, I laid in bed and thought of how I could deal with this. My instinct was to march down there and tear him apart but I laid in bed for a bit and calmed down. When I came down, I told him computer off at 10pm. Period.

He was waiting for the shit storm and I didn't deliver. I don't think he knows what hit him.

And that felt really good.

I have been from Fat Cat to Fit Cat to Fat Cat and am working my way back to Fit Cat. I hope you are all doing well, enjoying some kind of spring where you are and will reach out for support if you need it.

Thanks for reading.

Cat

A smattering of things I like and things I am over

Hello Winter Weary Friends!!

How is everyone? I am hoping you are all hanging in there with the longest winter in the history of winter's. With more to come this weekend. Geez. Enough. All. Ready.

I thought I would put together a brief list of the things I have really been enjoying lately. We can all use some good ideas, right? Some I have mentioned before but they are worth mentioning again.

*My local Meat Market (Mosley's for you locals). I bought $100 worth of meat and this is what I am getting (organic, locally raised)

2.5 lbs beef stir fry

3 lbs ground chuck

2.5 lbs boneless pork loin chops

2.5 lbs boneless pork loin roast

5 lbs bone in chicken thighs

2.5 lbs ground turkey

3 lbs ground chicken

2 8oz ribeyes

3 lbs boneless chicken breast

2 lbs bacon

We should be set for two months!! And what I really like is I ask them to split all the packages in half or what I want and they do. So all I have to do is freeze it all when I get home. Look into your local meat market. Support local business!!

*Haugland Learning Center. This is where Jack is going and it is a school for children with Autism. I cannot truly put into words what a difference this school has made in his academic, social, and family life. He is off medication and is happier than I have ever seen him. He WANTS to go to school every morning, despite the hour and a half bus ride. If you have a child that is struggling in school, there are a lot of alternatives and look into your County for funding for some of these alternatives.

*Nicole Curtis on Rehab Addict on HGTV. I have a lady crush on her. Nice to see someone care so much about old homes that would normally be condemned. Wish there were more people out there like her. And she's badass.

*Coconut oil: great to cook with but even better as a skin lotion! I use it everyday and keep a plastic container in my bathroom. Warm it in your hands and slather at will.

*Email classwork alerts: I love knowing, before my kids get home, that they have failed a test. Leaves me time to plan their torture...

*All the local business things on FB. Nice to use local people for handymen. I would rather support a local family with my business than a National chain.

*Tennis balls-keeps our new Shepherd rescue busy. He bats them around like a cat and will fetch them, too. I am hoping Play it Again Sports has some old ones we can buy, cheap.

A few things I can live without

*Potholes. They eat a chunk of my van every day.

*Weather "models". Please. No more charts.

*6th grade math.

*Ear infections. Jack had one so bad his entire ear swelled shut!!

*Hoodies. Wear a f**ing coat to the bus stop!!

*Our rescue Shepherd barking at Tom and Jack but not Griffin. UGH. I wish I had a dog speak decoder.

That's all the blabbering I have in me. If I could reach 18 readers, that would make my week! Stay warm and safe everyone. I have been saying that since October but I mean it.

Pray for Spring, friends.

Cat

January, please leave!

Hi friends! I hope you are all staying safe and warm in this crazy month. I, along with everyone I know, is ready to heave January out the door and welcome in February. Ok actually, we would really like to welcome June, but you know, the calendar thing is pretty solid on how the months go.

As you know, we put our dog Molly down almost three weeks ago and we decided a week ago to start looking for another dog. Teddy seemed really sad and we thought it couldn't hurt to start looking. I am very particular when choosing a dog as having a son with Autism brings a whole bunch of things to think about (texture of fur, how how pitch the bark, size, etc) and we were in no hurry.

Then I got a text from a friend who had a friend who's Aunt was being put in a Nursing Home and they didn't know what to do with her 6 year old white shepherd, Bear. Bear and a cat had been raised by this elderly Aunt, and though he spent some time with neighbors, Bear is NOT used to the chaos of three kids and another Shep/Lab mix. I knew he was good with kids and other dogs, but I didn't stop to think that he has not spent much time around MEN.

Griffin and I went to look at him and Bear was afraid to get out of the car. This raised some flags for me because he is BIG and the last thing I needed was a big, scared dog. But we brought Teddy out of the van and they seemed to get along ok, so we said ok, we'll give it a go.

He is at least 85 lbs of love and fur. For those of you who aren't familiar with German Shepherds, they are great dogs but very protective. Bear very much took to me as being the older lady in the house and he loves Emily, too. He is very wary of the boys, though seems to do better with the boys then with Tom. If Tom ignores him, he will lay down next to him. He will let anyone pet him but will only come to me and Emily. I know it will take some time but I know he will be a great addition to this family.

It's an ironic twist because Molly and Tom were inseparable, and now Bear has adopted me and Teddy has become Tom's buddy. Jack has been great in respecting that Bear is a little afraid but Bear lets him pet him all the time. Seems like a great fit.

And he needs to lose some weight. Join the club, Bear.

Did I tell you I quit my Assisted Living job? Well, I did. I really was not enjoying it and it was killer getting up at 5am on Sunday's. I am in the process of looking for restaurant work Fri or Sat evenings as that is the experience I am lacking.

Emily starts in school driving class next week. Just that much closer to getting her license. YIKES.

Boys are doing well. Jack is doing so well at his new school and I try not to think about how misplaced he was at his old school. It makes me so mad that I have to put it on a shelf. I am reading a great book called Ten Things Every Child with Autism Wishes You Knew by Ellen Notbohm. It is an easy read and will make you cry. If you have family who doesn't understand what is going on with your Autistic child, this is a great read.

I have been going to Aldi and Meijer to do my shopping and I definitely feel that Meijer is way cheaper than Giant Eagle and has a much better produce selection.

Doing anything for Super Bowl Sunday? Yeah, us neither. But I am making a truck load of food so we can have left overs all weeks. I bought baby back ribs and will have to find out how to cook them. I usually get spareribs so this is new territory for me. I like a challenge.

Tom and I are doing well. He has been a real trooper staying home with the kids when they are off and my district is not. I haven't put on any weight but haven't lost any either. Darn you the last 10 lbs!! Though I suspect my body knew how crappy this winter would be and urged me to keep the weight on.

That's my story anyway.

Would love to hit 20 followers this year. Spread the word.

Gotta get Bear off my feet, throw Jack in the shower and get the dinner dishes done. Oh, maybe I could throw the dinner dishes in with Jack and he could wash them while taking a shower?? Ok, ewww.. maybe not.

Stay warm and safe friends!

Cat 

Spinning, stacking, sorting: Autism myths?

It is never my intention to offend anyone, as is the case in this blog. But I have been recently saddened and a little angry at how many young children (2 and 3 year old's) are being labeled Autistic due to spinning, sorting and stacking.

I belong to a great group on Facebook called Autism Mother's and it is no joke that just about every third post is about a young child being diagnosed Autistic because of the above criteria.

Short story on Jack: delays in speech, no eye contact, diagnosed Autistic at 3, re-diagnosed ADHD at 6, only to be evaluated again at 9: back to Autism. Looking back, I believe his speech delays were somewhat caused by the binkie that was in his mouth 24/7 (he had chronic ear pain till tubes, and the sucking soothed him). Could the lack of eye contact be because I literally took The Nick Jr slogan of "it's like pre-school for kids" a little too seriously and let him watch tv all the time? Why should he look me in the eye when he can look at Dora???

I will keep this brief.
Spinning: who doesn't like to spin? Remember being little and loving when your parents would grab you by the arms and spin you around? What about the Sit and Spin? Kids love that. How bout the Merry Go Round? All of these are popular because kids like to spin. Amusement parks: adult versions of spinning.

Stacking: from infancy, we teach kids how to stack blocks, round plastic donuts on a base. So why is it weird that my 3 year old would like to stack everything he can? I remember hours of Jack stacking and re-stacking my tupperware. Perhaps instead of being an oddity, this is what we are teaching our kids to do and just because they really enjoy doing it, shouldn't be frowned upon.

Sorting: again, this is something we teach our kids from a very young age. How to sort by shape, size, color, number, etc. Maybe sorting all the hot wheel cars into ones with yellow on them isn't so unusual. Perhaps that is the way Jack chose to sort this particular collection.

My point is: it seems like we are taking some normal things we are trying to teach our kids, and just because they do them to excess, doesn't mean there is anything wrong with them. Maybe, at a young age, having some control over the way things are sorted, makes them feel more in control of their worlds.

Sometimes I feel Jack's diagnosis of Autism is wrong. I think he is developmentally delayed but capable of quite a bit. We caved all the time when he was little because he was the baby and we wanted him to stop banging his head on the wall. He has known how to play us for a long time. When he was little it was a matter of keeping him safe, now it is a matter of dealing with his frustration when we tell him no. We get better at it every day and he is learning, in leaps and bounds, how to NOT get what he wants.

I am not discounting any child who is diagnosed on the above three criteria, but as parents, look at what your 3 year old likes to do and should be doing. Remember, they have only been on the planet 3 years, they are not going to know how to use scissors, or skip, or do simple math. They are three, treat them as such.

Ok, enough out of me. Sorry, that was really bugging me today!!

Cat

Quick Update

Happy Sunday, friends! I hope everyone survived the week back to school and the warming temps.

It was a crazy week here with the two day delay, Jack starting his new school, two co-workers out with surgery and I have had a nasty sinus infection for about 4 days now.

Pile onto that our clothes dryer dying and having to put our dog of 14 years down, it has been an very exhausting week.

On the up side, Tom was able to fix the dryer with a $31 part and we know our pup is in a better place. Teddy, our 11 year old lab/shep mix seems to be enjoying the extra attention he is getting and doesn't seem to notice that Molly is not always barking at him. Or maybe he does notice and is relieved she has passed.

I spent $60 at Aldi and $40 at Meijer on Friday with the intention of getting thru about 3 days but I will be able to stretch that into at least Tuesday. I am going to stop at Subway today to get the boys subs for this weeks lunch (we cut them into thirds so you get three lunches for $5. Way cheaper than school lunch). I know shopping at Meijer has been cheaper than Giant Eagle, even though I miss the fuel perks.

Today may wield a trip to Walmart: Griff needs either new basketball shoes or a pair of tennis shoes to wear to school. He only has about a month of basketball left but his shoes are losing tread. I think we will get him a new cheap pair of basketball shoes and he can wear his old ones to school.

Jack needs pants, too. His new favorite thing to do is slide down the stairs on his knees. You can only imagine how many times it takes before the holes start showing up.

Laundry on tap, taking Teddy for a walk, football and crockpot french dip sandwiches for dinner. Sandwiches are a great, inexpensive dinner item. Pair it with a salad and chips or fries and you have a meal that makes everyone happy.

I am praying this week brings some normalcy and NO SNOW. I hope you all have a great week!!

Cat

What I've been up to....

The kids and I have been off a ridiculously long amount of time.

Really long.

Like, I don't remember what I am supposed to do at work when I go in tomorrow.

That's a long time to be away.

But as promised, here are some snap shots of the cooking I did yesterday:

Greek salad for lunch

Soup on the left is tomato and corn, soup on the right is noodle soup for the kids

Honey and balsamic roasted chicken thighs. Used the left overs to make chicken salad for the rest of this week

Tom, Jack and Teddy. Making the most of the cold

I am so glad we are all going back to school tomorrow. Tomorrow is Jack's first day at his Autism school and I am hopeful that this will be a major bonus to all of our lives. He is capable of so much, hoping we found a place to tap into that. He is excited so I am excited for him.

And really nervous, too.

I hope you all are staying warm. Be sure to check on your neighbors, too.

Here's to going back to school and new starts for all of us!

Cheers,
Cat