Jordan is ordered to wear an eye patch on his right eye for two hours a day during close up work...reading, matching, computer, table work... if a picture tells a story.. He is not doing well. I am sending the box to school because they said other children at school wear the patch and they can make it "cool." Here it was a struggle and nothing I was doing was making it any where near cool for him. It was very apparent his weak eye was having to work harder. This will be another process and come in time.
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Eye patch not a hit....
Jordan is ordered to wear an eye patch on his right eye for two hours a day during close up work...reading, matching, computer, table work... if a picture tells a story.. He is not doing well. I am sending the box to school because they said other children at school wear the patch and they can make it "cool." Here it was a struggle and nothing I was doing was making it any where near cool for him. It was very apparent his weak eye was having to work harder. This will be another process and come in time.
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Costumes and decorations...
As hard as I looked today I could not find a police officer costume for Tressa that was not too small or to sexy. Then to find a nice child's story book about police officers..(for school their costume must match a story book they bring to school as well) Case solved she is Hanna Montana. A 75% off clearance on Manna costumes at the Disney store sent me into another direction. She was thrilled when she came home, all is good. I dug out the decorations and FORGOT how annoying the door greeter is which goes off by motion and howls at the moon... Some things you wish batteries would run out in NEVER DO. So here is the run down right now
Keirsten; Gothic fairy
Kaitlyn; Bat girl
Steven; Ghostbusters
Jordan; Captain Hook
Tressa; Hanna Montana
Lucas; Doctor
Coldest day on record here in 100 years...
It didn't seem so cold although we were prepared and wore warm clothing today. Actually opened windows at dinner time as it felt a bit warm.. Kaitlyn was at the Doctors and has psoriasis on her scalp so it takes Neutrogena T/gel shampoo soaking 5 mins and some ointment on her scalp that can not be within reach of the other children because it will remove layers of skin..... one more step to bedtime routine.. that might be a video we put on to this blog.. the medications dispensed...
Mandie brought over Tinker Bell Movie as Tressa has had a couple wonderful/Fabulous days at school. Miss Barbie came for Halloween baking and pumpkin painting..then Miss Vickie with speech and a Tink party so the night was full.
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
BURRRRRR
We went to the near by park tonight, Jordan did his home work at the park. The others played, Lucas walked up and down steps. FRESH COOL AIR.
Burrr it is cold this morning. low 50's...... IN FLORIDA IN OCTOBER!
Burrr it is cold this morning. low 50's...... IN FLORIDA IN OCTOBER!
Innocence Lost...
I remember when mine went...It is amazing how many people can go through life never knowing about true abuse. Mandie took her initial class on ZERO TOLERANCE in the world of child welfare this morning. She went to the class believing it would be much like all the other zero tolerance classes in past jobs...sexual harassment in the work place. NOT the case this morning. She said she was in a room with about 50 other employees for Developmental Disabilities of the state of Florida. She went on to say her eyes welled up a few times and when she looked around the room she didn't see anyone else.. I am sure it is because they have been in this type of class before.
She learned today that people with disabilities are abused at the rate of 90%. YES TRUE. She learned that 80% by care takers, people the person trusts and loves. All she could think about was her siblings. It hit hard when they described the "TYPICAL" person who gets abused... They described Kaitlyn, the person who loves everyone, trusts and has a free spirit. Then Jordan, the person who might be more difficult, trying on the patience of the care taker. She said then to think 90% of all, so her siblins will be abused....where her mind went. The class gave graphic visuals from autopsy's she described as shocking. She felt more the photos where more than her mind could handle this morning.
She mentally escaped the moment, into the thought of after the class driving to the Disney store to pick up her new Tinker Bell movie and going to a happy place.
Her need to talk to me was overwhelming... I explained why I feel it so important to have this house the forever plan for the children. That having a special needs trust with a board of directors watching over the kids is so critical in planning their future. That yes I understand they will out live me and possibly her. She seemed very changed and wanting to make plans to teach them protection for themselves. Although then she said that the instructor gave details about them trying to teach people with disabilities in group homes/nursing homes which every day they repeated what to do. She said when they mentioned Prader-Willi syndrome specifically as a person whom gets taken sexual advantage of because their desire to please for a rewards, she nearly lost it. Her mind went to all the contacts the kids have now and her feeling we can no longer send them to school...we can not trust anyone..... what if Kaitlyn gets in the bathroom and a male teacher goes in--she will not know- not to do as he says...What if she is at a friends home and someone does something, will she tell??? What about Jordan... she needed a break... I told her to watch Tinker Bell and we will talk tomorrow.. no worry they are safe today... we will plan tomorrow.
I worry every day and believe we are putting everything in place and keeping very visible in all the places the children go, we have to have some trust with the choices we put our children in. We have to watch for signs and hear what the kids tell us in verbal, body language or temperaments. all the ways they can tell us in their way.
I remember my first week in the child welfare system thinking the world was all bad..How can people even think of hurting someone in these ways.. (I will not give descriptive of what Mandie did hear today) It is unthinkable, our minds will never understand the why.. Again PREVENTION, the best we can do for our children.
She learned today that people with disabilities are abused at the rate of 90%. YES TRUE. She learned that 80% by care takers, people the person trusts and loves. All she could think about was her siblings. It hit hard when they described the "TYPICAL" person who gets abused... They described Kaitlyn, the person who loves everyone, trusts and has a free spirit. Then Jordan, the person who might be more difficult, trying on the patience of the care taker. She said then to think 90% of all, so her siblins will be abused....where her mind went. The class gave graphic visuals from autopsy's she described as shocking. She felt more the photos where more than her mind could handle this morning.
She mentally escaped the moment, into the thought of after the class driving to the Disney store to pick up her new Tinker Bell movie and going to a happy place.
Her need to talk to me was overwhelming... I explained why I feel it so important to have this house the forever plan for the children. That having a special needs trust with a board of directors watching over the kids is so critical in planning their future. That yes I understand they will out live me and possibly her. She seemed very changed and wanting to make plans to teach them protection for themselves. Although then she said that the instructor gave details about them trying to teach people with disabilities in group homes/nursing homes which every day they repeated what to do. She said when they mentioned Prader-Willi syndrome specifically as a person whom gets taken sexual advantage of because their desire to please for a rewards, she nearly lost it. Her mind went to all the contacts the kids have now and her feeling we can no longer send them to school...we can not trust anyone..... what if Kaitlyn gets in the bathroom and a male teacher goes in--she will not know- not to do as he says...What if she is at a friends home and someone does something, will she tell??? What about Jordan... she needed a break... I told her to watch Tinker Bell and we will talk tomorrow.. no worry they are safe today... we will plan tomorrow.
I worry every day and believe we are putting everything in place and keeping very visible in all the places the children go, we have to have some trust with the choices we put our children in. We have to watch for signs and hear what the kids tell us in verbal, body language or temperaments. all the ways they can tell us in their way.
I remember my first week in the child welfare system thinking the world was all bad..How can people even think of hurting someone in these ways.. (I will not give descriptive of what Mandie did hear today) It is unthinkable, our minds will never understand the why.. Again PREVENTION, the best we can do for our children.
Monday, October 27, 2008
ANSWER IS: Yes, the baseball team was all family
I got a few emails asking what event we were at. We just decided to go to the local park and play baseball, it is our family; Mandie and her son Carmelo, Michelle her son Ayden and her roommates girls; Kayla and Karrah. Myself, Keirsten, Kaitlyn, Steven, Jordan, Tressa and Lucas...13 of us. It took 2 hours to play one inning and then we called it a game and went to the playground. Miss Vickie met up with us with her grandson.
A VERY FUN day
After pumpkin cut and sun down
A pumpkin with a pattern......We had a great day and spooky night..... all this week we will be busy getting ready for Friday night's party. Every year our friends come to our house because we have lived in the same home/neighborhood since 1991 we know most all our neighbors, some secure FUN HOUSES to visit. The families await our visit even. Tonight Miss Vicky came over to practice her face painting and Mandie was into pumpkin carving. We will be painting pumpkins with Miss Barbie this week for the little ones can help..
No school, baseball fever
Mandie and Carmelo
One family=One team=One field; Pringle's up to bat, Nunley's in the outfield(this photo)
come on Ayden hit me in...(grandsons) Batter batter SWING!
Lucas in the outfield......Hey guys I see the ball.... I do not want to get up...
Melo get ready to run, Here comes the slammin Ayden, I hit it, I hit it.... RUN!!!!
The OTHER world series
Bases loaded and Kaitlyn up to bat......
The PRINGLE'S ROCK!
One handed batting is tough
Kailtyn slides into home plate.
Lucas just isn't finding the "fun" in any of this base ball game.. cried pretty much the entire game, did't want to hold the bat, touch the ball or walk let alone run. In time, we will keep trying.
Pringle's VS Nunley's
One arm Jordan
Steven gets it after a couple tries
Lucas isn't so much into it yet.
Kaitlyn catches for both sides--a natural, in her element.
Tressa connects with a little help from mom.
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Parenting has it's very difficult times
I have a son who is 25 years old. He was an ESE student all his education years although back then I had NO IDEA what that meant. He dropped out after the 5th grade in all respects. I was a single mom working 3 jobs to offer my children what I thought was important at that time. They wore the new fashions, had the new game machine...I bought a house in a part of town upscale for working middle class families, the better public schools to move out of "Private school fees." All the things not important at all, I then placed value on. I knew things were not right when this son was in middle school although again I was a single mom trying to hold things together for my children.. I wasn't thinking past that day.
I recall driving home one night after teaching a "PARENTING CLASS" for the department to find my neighbor outside waiting for me to inform me my middle school son is drunk and has been roller blading off the peak of my roof across the back addition and on to the trampoline... OMG!
Then another time I wake up in the middle of the night to a flood light in my back yard with this same son digging the biggest hole I have ever seen dug by hand to build an underground fort to entertain friends... one problem, a HUGE boulder was in the way and all the chiseling wasn't making a bit of difference in size to get it removed.. (crane material) not to mention no permit, crazy idea!
The night I heard the door bell going off a thousand times while I tried to sleep because he was fixing it... until it broke...He fixed EVERYTHING in our home until it was broken. And oh my! Sunday night was a night he was NEVER home... (garbage night in our neighborhood) Monday on my way out to work was always a surprise to what was in my yard/house/garage. Something he saw value in... and many times he could do something amazing with the "junk".
He has ADHD and fights depression... In April 2000 he took a BAD spill under a pick up truck while riding a skate board holding the moving trucks wheel well and mangled his growing body under the truck tires. As the truck driver was a friend he did not push the insurance to get completely medically repaired and was from then on hooked on pain medication to the point it is a drug addiction. Also, I believe self medication to ADHD as well as depression and the sleep deprivation of staying awake 3 days at a time and crashing for 2. A life so out of control I couldn't get any local services to turn him around...I actually found that the first few gave him more contacts, and he got deeper into trouble...
Many years have passed and some gains yet mostly back slides.... He struggles every day of his life for normal life balance and yet for me to be honest I do not see his effort to face his addiction, he is in denial... something other than helping himself. TODAY, he has no choice...
Today he is behind bars...for a yet to be determined amount of time (approx.1 yr) ... He will now face consequences and I pray very hard that he faces his demons. That he takes this time to better his soul, face his maker and put his life into the hands of the belief he can rise above those demons. I pray my baby boy comes out a better person. It is one of the hurting parts of my heart to bare. I am thankful he is not dead, because that is the path he was on. I know this was best, it is just awful pain for his Mom. Some day I pray he feels our pain...His family that loves him so deeply.
I recall driving home one night after teaching a "PARENTING CLASS" for the department to find my neighbor outside waiting for me to inform me my middle school son is drunk and has been roller blading off the peak of my roof across the back addition and on to the trampoline... OMG!
Then another time I wake up in the middle of the night to a flood light in my back yard with this same son digging the biggest hole I have ever seen dug by hand to build an underground fort to entertain friends... one problem, a HUGE boulder was in the way and all the chiseling wasn't making a bit of difference in size to get it removed.. (crane material) not to mention no permit, crazy idea!
The night I heard the door bell going off a thousand times while I tried to sleep because he was fixing it... until it broke...He fixed EVERYTHING in our home until it was broken. And oh my! Sunday night was a night he was NEVER home... (garbage night in our neighborhood) Monday on my way out to work was always a surprise to what was in my yard/house/garage. Something he saw value in... and many times he could do something amazing with the "junk".
He has ADHD and fights depression... In April 2000 he took a BAD spill under a pick up truck while riding a skate board holding the moving trucks wheel well and mangled his growing body under the truck tires. As the truck driver was a friend he did not push the insurance to get completely medically repaired and was from then on hooked on pain medication to the point it is a drug addiction. Also, I believe self medication to ADHD as well as depression and the sleep deprivation of staying awake 3 days at a time and crashing for 2. A life so out of control I couldn't get any local services to turn him around...I actually found that the first few gave him more contacts, and he got deeper into trouble...
Many years have passed and some gains yet mostly back slides.... He struggles every day of his life for normal life balance and yet for me to be honest I do not see his effort to face his addiction, he is in denial... something other than helping himself. TODAY, he has no choice...
Today he is behind bars...for a yet to be determined amount of time (approx.1 yr) ... He will now face consequences and I pray very hard that he faces his demons. That he takes this time to better his soul, face his maker and put his life into the hands of the belief he can rise above those demons. I pray my baby boy comes out a better person. It is one of the hurting parts of my heart to bare. I am thankful he is not dead, because that is the path he was on. I know this was best, it is just awful pain for his Mom. Some day I pray he feels our pain...His family that loves him so deeply.
I am all grown up now...says my 6 year old
Tressa is playing house in her room:
"Mom, my bus is here" (pretend bus) "I have an a appointment I need to go to, I need to take your cell phone." (pause) "Ring ring;" she says..."Mom answer your phone"... (I pretend to answer the house phone) hello, who is this? "It is your daughter." My daughter, which one? (pause) "I am all grown up mom, it is Tressa" (she is actually 6) Oh, Tressa Hi, How are you? "I am on my bus all grown up now. I am going to my Doctor to have my baby out of my tummy?" I am a bit surprised at this comment... She proceeds to say she has called her Doctor to take it out and she is coming over with her new baby today. I said sure, can you stop by and get me a coffee on the way over? LOL She said "sure!"!!! To be 6 again.
"Mom, my bus is here" (pretend bus) "I have an a appointment I need to go to, I need to take your cell phone." (pause) "Ring ring;" she says..."Mom answer your phone"... (I pretend to answer the house phone) hello, who is this? "It is your daughter." My daughter, which one? (pause) "I am all grown up mom, it is Tressa" (she is actually 6) Oh, Tressa Hi, How are you? "I am on my bus all grown up now. I am going to my Doctor to have my baby out of my tummy?" I am a bit surprised at this comment... She proceeds to say she has called her Doctor to take it out and she is coming over with her new baby today. I said sure, can you stop by and get me a coffee on the way over? LOL She said "sure!"!!! To be 6 again.
MY STAR BALL PLAYER!
I started jumping up and down and ran for her to hug her so the picture is not so good but it is going threw the net!!! that is Kaitlyn's ball!
Saturday, October 25, 2008
Jordan doesn't let a broken arm slow him down for anything.
Tressa prepares for the ultimate obstacle course, shoes and glasses safe.
Kaitlyn runs into her good friend, made her very happy.
All the kids enjoyed the spin paint table,,Hmmmm SANTA list maybe...
HOLE IN ONE!!!!! Look at her throw!!!!! Everyone tried, KAITLYN GOT IT!
I will post the next shot but I got so excited I started screaming as it went through the net so even more blur... It was amazing! You would have had to be there... Boy after boy (typical) tried to make the hoop...and then up goes Kaitlyn! MY SPORTS GIRL!
Community Church Party
We went to the Cape Coral Community Church party tonight which put smiles all the children's faces. Lucas wasn't to sure what I was doing with him..
Good morning, a coffee moment
I have some thoughts to share... Our country and these elections. I find the entire event sickening. One camp closes in on 700 MILLION dollars spent to have the country view him as a leader and 70 Million from the other. 770 million dollars......spent on travel, banners, posters, parties, TV, radio, games, well if I am missing something of quality please help me out here. Did they HELP in meaningful ways? Did they rebuild the section of LA that desperately awaits our government?? Brad Pitt didn't spend near 770 million and he has made REAL CHANGE, Did they build one needing or deserving family a home? Extreme makeover not only builds a home but produces a quality show for 1 million....can you imagine the image one would have if they built over 770 million homes in the past 2 years??? Media would have been FREE!!! I'd elect that person.. The money they didn't spend on the building they would be able to use to educate themselves on world peace BECAUSE THE PRESIDENTS ROLE IS TO PROTECT US... any way 770million dollar of action not lip service would make this a better place. Yet, we the people of the United States of America continue to play their games, their rules. Remember only WE can stop this cycle not any one person. US!
Society and the role we have chosen ourselves is our consequence... I have been crying out since 2002 we are in SEROUS TROUBLE. I remember the day.. you have heard it from me before..When our specialty Doctors left South Florida (many of them) because they could not get the funds or government to back them to stay they had to leave this area. Malpractice insurance was out of control, law suits over the top... yet we didn't fight to keep the people who could save our children's lives near by..Now I drive a full day up and back with hotel costs, gas extremely expensive etc.. I didn't do enough back then. At the same time ER, the television show was rated #1 so the fact we loose quality care in real life we will sit and watch PRETEND doctors save lives and this show went to the top ratings making well over a REAL DOCTORS salary, with no malpractice insurance or hospital entry fees. I knew that day our society was heading to pretend land...and look where we are..
I see a show on TV just yesterday about a girl turning 16 years old in a town North of here who had a birthday party which cost her parents 1.8 million dollars total with her new shiny red Jag as the parents gift to her. She had four designer made dresses for the event. My daughter was on the edge of the chair in awe of this girl...I had to de-clutter her brain and remind her about REAL LIFE. It is difficult for young minds to separate from that glamor to know they put their pants on one leg at a time and they are no better than us. I do not believe in the end it counts how big your 16th birthday party was in the scale of things. I believe we as humans need to step up to the plate and ask ourselves if we are doing our part, are we doing ENOUGH? Because we ultimately are the people who can turn our country back on track..
My voice to my friends who are your every day workers is STOP, stop buying all the glamour..If your child is in love with Brittney or Hanna Montana..Buy her a guitar/horn/piano, a vocal lesson, dance classes, horseback ridding lessons. Something to build your child's self esteem instead of them trying to gain esteem from a figure in the lime light. Polish your child's qualities. Your child is the investment you should be supporting not media driven children... just my opinion.
Society and the role we have chosen ourselves is our consequence... I have been crying out since 2002 we are in SEROUS TROUBLE. I remember the day.. you have heard it from me before..When our specialty Doctors left South Florida (many of them) because they could not get the funds or government to back them to stay they had to leave this area. Malpractice insurance was out of control, law suits over the top... yet we didn't fight to keep the people who could save our children's lives near by..Now I drive a full day up and back with hotel costs, gas extremely expensive etc.. I didn't do enough back then. At the same time ER, the television show was rated #1 so the fact we loose quality care in real life we will sit and watch PRETEND doctors save lives and this show went to the top ratings making well over a REAL DOCTORS salary, with no malpractice insurance or hospital entry fees. I knew that day our society was heading to pretend land...and look where we are..
I see a show on TV just yesterday about a girl turning 16 years old in a town North of here who had a birthday party which cost her parents 1.8 million dollars total with her new shiny red Jag as the parents gift to her. She had four designer made dresses for the event. My daughter was on the edge of the chair in awe of this girl...I had to de-clutter her brain and remind her about REAL LIFE. It is difficult for young minds to separate from that glamor to know they put their pants on one leg at a time and they are no better than us. I do not believe in the end it counts how big your 16th birthday party was in the scale of things. I believe we as humans need to step up to the plate and ask ourselves if we are doing our part, are we doing ENOUGH? Because we ultimately are the people who can turn our country back on track..
My voice to my friends who are your every day workers is STOP, stop buying all the glamour..If your child is in love with Brittney or Hanna Montana..Buy her a guitar/horn/piano, a vocal lesson, dance classes, horseback ridding lessons. Something to build your child's self esteem instead of them trying to gain esteem from a figure in the lime light. Polish your child's qualities. Your child is the investment you should be supporting not media driven children... just my opinion.
Friday, October 24, 2008
Rainy day activities today
The weather is WET here, the yard rubbish is being picked up so the children loved running in the rain to get those trash receptacles to the road for the trash men. We will be inside unless we go to the movie HS3 with Miss Barbie.
The children have been begging to make Christmas cookies so I picked up Halloween cutters and show them roll out cookies are for all occasions. We have a recipe which keeps the cookie low in calorie for Tressa (PWS) so she gets excited for times she can add cookies to her daily calorie count list. Not much nutrition so it is a "treat."
I will post pictures the end of the day.
The children have been begging to make Christmas cookies so I picked up Halloween cutters and show them roll out cookies are for all occasions. We have a recipe which keeps the cookie low in calorie for Tressa (PWS) so she gets excited for times she can add cookies to her daily calorie count list. Not much nutrition so it is a "treat."
I will post pictures the end of the day.
Thursday, October 23, 2008
A walk in the park
We decided to go for a walk before dinner, we have the next 4 days off from school and lots of energy. Today was over cast, the pool feels cold to all but Steven. A nice long walk for all was what was needed. Jessica is with us until late tonight, she too enjoyed our time with nature. We played games, were singing songs, stopping to check out crabs, sea beans, plants, spider webs (REAL ONES)and thought we saw a bear (not really) enough to get them moving a little faster. It always starts out full of energy and by the 1/2 way point they are dragging. We got to the rivers edge and the rain started coming on.. It was a lot of fun. Dinner was cooking while we were on the walk so a nice rice and veggie stir fry was served up upon returning home, shoes in cubbies, hands washed .... yummy dinner. Now they are all cuddled for bed.. Cookie making tomorrow.
A nice nature walk thru Four Mile Cove
A healthy walk and then home for a healthy dinner. Everyone had a great time today. This nature walk is five minutes from our home. It represents how our city looked before man.
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