Monday, February 28, 2011

Sunday, February 27, 2011

A family day. My parents came down and my daughter came over with my grandchildren. We sure missed the comedy of Lauriano who was home in bed with some sort of reaction illness... yesterday was opening day for his son (T-Ball) and the overwhelming excitement proved to be too much for Daddy...LOL not really, got some sort of bug. We made a family sit down dinner which was in and cooking when everyone arrived. We got time to play and visit for a good amount of time before we ate. The boys played outside, Tressa and Jordan did some TV bickering.... Carmelo made sure all my apps on my phone were working. Olivia did not want for anything, she was the star of the day... Miss Emma thought she could take her down a time or two although so many family members around we shielded her from the red blaze of jealousy no longer being the "baby" LOL

My parents seemed more relaxed this visit with all the children.. This makes everyone else more relaxed as well which is a good thing. I always have many emotions during family times, so much to be thankful for, so many things I never take for granted. I am so very blessed to be living a life full of love. I often forget exactly how blessed I am when I am in the thick of parenting which many know it is a thankless job for the most part...

It seems the little things I hold near and dear may mean nothing to others although paramount for me. The smiles I get that I know are mine, the funny funny giggle after Emma burps and then tries so very hard to force a burp on purpose..she spit and sputtered choked and gagged yet could not muster a forced burp (YET) because with the intense effort she will soon figure it out...LOL Pringle got Talent.



Saturday, February 26, 2011

yells from the other side of the house: Mom, I found my head!

LOL some times I just need something like this to make me laugh out loud... makes my day's stress fade. Kaitlyn is brushing her hair and pulls her hair back and it stays so her forehead shows.... she has worn bangs all her life so I guess having her hair longer and pulling it back means something to her... she is very excited. I explain it is her forehead and she can not loose her head. (well she thinks black and white) so it is far to say she can not loose her head... She might loose her grip some times and I might think she has lost her mind but she would not understand that concept... I am going to deep, we all just need to laugh envisioning Kaitlyn yelling "Mom, I found my head"

My day was busy cleaning up for my parents to come, planning the shopping list for tomorrow, staying with the kids therapy... Jordan needs coached to get through therapy, Tressa needs me to be firm that she will do what Ms Jan asks, Steven avoid anything if I leave the area, Emma wants to crawl on top of Jan while working with the others and just hug and kiss which made Lucas crazy because he likes crawling all over Ms Jan (when not doing therapy) so I play referee during therapy and YES THEY ASK FOR PHOTOS... it started a long time ago. I said once, oh do this and i will take your picture. it was a way to get the kids to cooperate and since then it is every time. Mom go get your camera, take our picture... The only one who doesn't want it is Tressa, she figures me out. She did today too. Mom why are you taking so many pictures of me..are you taking pictures of my projects. Why are you taking pictures of my projects. Then when we all left to go to walmart all I heard was. I am not done with my project can I finish my project when we get home, will it be safe, is anyone going to move my project while we are gone...YIKES..... then on the side of all these activities I have an attorney who is emailing with me about the clothing issue and offering some directions which get me thinking, have I done everything.... I put together a second email to the Superintendent explaining I did get the chance to talk to all three people but not one answered what happened. I am so much more concerned now that communication with some key players in the IEP have suddenly stopped that it sends my mind into what do they know,, what are they covering... I have talked to Steven and he can not recall although shows no sign of fear or injury from a moms perspective. Do I take him for an exam...I am so unsure of this because he wasn't distraught when he came home, he wasn't crying, sad or acting odd... he just wouldn't tell me or couldn't tell me what happened to his clothes, how he got the clothes he had on.. Oh my this is a brain bleed for me for sure..... you have no idea where my mind has gone and back in the past week... so tonight after the suggestion of getting outside people to check it out I called DCF and they took the report and will themselves be seeing answers. I have 99% faith in this my 1% lye's in that I know Steven can not communicate and thus far some have put words in his mouth he is not even capable of articulating...will more of this type of stuff occur... I have asked the school for a 504 investigation as well so I can get some answers. I am sure with so much time passed it will be all explained. I just want to know what happened...... let me know what happened......I need to know details any and all and if they were not there and know nothing I want to know that.

So why it is so important to laugh right now at the cute statement "Mom, I found my head" with all her excitement behind it.

what therapy looks like at the Pringle's










Saturday morning arts and crafts...






We are having a full day of therapy today so we can have tomorrow off. Tomorrow we are having Grandma and Grandpa LeQuia over with Mandie, Lauriano, Carmelo and Olivia for a home cooked meal with all the trimmings.. it will look a little like Thanksgiving..... the kids are working on arts and crafts to decorate the house. I am trying to change out a food disposal in the sink , awe such fun.... "STINKS"

She stands more, still not walking...



Kite flying fun



Thursday, February 24, 2011

Pringle's got back; reduction plan

My Baby's got back is oh so true this spring.... the winter of 2010 did some damage on the Pringleclan....time to shed some lbs...

I had a volunteer offer to come do ZUMBA in the home with the kids...this is going to be great. We have added walks to our daily routine now that our speech in home therapist is going to be out 6 weeks having her baby... now to change our food ...Most of the time we eat healthy food although I have been allowing the kids choice to the point we eat a lot of carbs and this has caught up to the kids....

Well; Jordan is the most obvious, added 18 lbs since Sept 10 to Jan 11... in bathing suits Steven and Kaitlyn showed some thickness.... gotta get it off ..... Kaitlyn told me she couldn't get her jeans on this morning because her butt got too big...LOL you know, like she had nothing to do with that. The others need the endurane building because all of them have low energy in picking up anything they get out so this will be a win win program.

Wednesday, February 23, 2011


A day at the beach, great mental therapy

Well the email seems to have sparked more attention than my calls requesting a meeting. Once anything is in writing and documented it seems accountability begins.

I took yesterday off to relax with the kids. the weekend (vacation) for many is not for us. The idea of driving to the beach which is minutes away during a Holiday weekend where we will sit in the van hours in traffic need to drive around another hour searching for a parking spot only to arrive on a beach that is eyeballs to elbows lawn chairs touching one another...NO THANK YOU.... we live here, love tourists to keep our county vibrant although I will sit home and allow all you to enjoy the vacation on the beach.

Our weekend was full of home bound games, cook out, roasting wienies on an open fire , a zumba class Pringle style, therapy, cooking, cleaning and play time all down in the comforts of our home.

Tuesday when everyone returned to work we loaded up our beach supplies and headed for a day of fun. no traffic, not a moment of tie up, straight to the front row first parking spot handicap accessible therefore no parking fees.... AND we were on the beach with a goo 100 feet surrounding us of no other humans.. The water was warm, shells plentiful and sand clean. We set up and spent hours without a moment of stress. Jordan chased seagulls looking for tourists to toss them food (which is a no no) we went to the light house and pretended to direct in the lost ships... We talked about flashing lights being a way to communicate in the "fog" which it was a morning of thick fog.. we were playing along the shore line when two Dolphins swam up playing very close to us (12 feet) AMAZING area of the country we live. Yes I heard my phone ring in the beach bag although I had no desire to take a call on the beach unless it was one of the schools the children were at. Tressa went to school because she wanted to retake a spelling test she had practiced over the weekend so it would be 100%... Her school called as she had a tummy ache... She was managing to get through the day. Lucas went to school because he would rather be in school than the beach. His sensory issues create much stress and he cries most of the time on the beach unless he is one ot one with someone helping him through the sensory explosions... Jordan was actually suppose to get a blood draw on the way to the beach at the children's hospital although Kaitlyn being the little momma she is fed him breakfast stressing over the whole "fasting" concept... as if... Jordan really couldn't miss a meal... Keirsten made up BLT toasted sandwiches and packed them for the beach. We are in usual Beach mode with a beach bucket of necessary items in the back of the van at all times.. it is a work in progress right now.
The day was successful as we all got color with little burn. Keirsten forgot to lotion her back or says she did and the sunburn clearly tells another story. Emma did something very odd...When taking off her swim top her skin underneath was red, as if a burn and then turned blue..I rushed her to the tub with luke warm water and rinsed her of the sea water... then her hands turned purple... I called her Doctor and we are checking with her heart specialist today although it was moments and she was all pink again and is fine now.. no burns although she was one lathered baby of sunblock.... the circulation issue concerns me a little so we will check on this more today.

The coffee has brewed, kids off to school it is time to lay out my outline of school issues regarding Steven and start the return phone calls. I plan to listen to their ideas until all are in and take a few hours to process and then present my plan...I want Steven to be successful and I have not seen that in a year and a half... I have not seen this school do anything for Kaitlyn as Kaitlyn is self sufficient in her needs for learning and that is fine for Kaitlyn. I see her making a huge leap in High School.... I am very excited for Kaitlyn to enter High School.. I need to get Steven some place where excitement can be part of his plan...

Monday, February 21, 2011

Step two in the process to solve the missing clothes case

Dear Dr. Tihen and Dr. Brunick

I try not to involve you for anything that is trivial. I hope you see this as serious as I do.

Dr. Tihen to get you up to speed I want you to be aware that last year on the third day of school my son, Steven (has Down syndrome) went missing on the Mariner Middle School campus. He apparently avoided his paraprofessional during a bathroom break and eloped into a vacant classroom. The search for him led to an unlocked gate on campus; 911 was called, Cape Coral police were on site, they had helicopter and search dogs added as well as all child missing teams called to site, I have been reported via the Cape Coral Child find team. I was not called, yes this is true. I was called after the fact when my son was on the bus home. I, at the time was shocked and relieved in one breath. I never made a fuss because it was all well and I was spared an afternoon of worry as well as having our afternoon of ESE bus drop offs totally interrupted. I did not file any complaint.

Last week the same son came home without the clothes I sent him to school in. He is a growing boy so the Levi's were from Christmas, fairly new. A shirt and a brand new zipper hooded sweat jacket. He came home in a pair of shorts and shirt that appeared to be out of a lost and found box and not his size. When I questioned him about his attire he shrugged his shoulders. He would not communicate to me where his clothes are. I searched his book bag for answers. His planner had no note in it. His book bag had nothing to inform me. I checked my answering machine and cell phone for missed calls or messages. I had no communication from any Mariner Middle school employee. I then called the school at about 5:15-5:25 pm and the woman who answered chucked after I explained my call concern and said it was the oddest thing..they found Steven in the gym and could not locate his clothes. She said he was uncooperative to explaining where his clothes were to them either. Steven has a 1:1 para professional and is to be supervised at all times on campus. She told me that "coach" would look for the clothes on Thursday and call me. I heard nothing Thursday and had no communication come home with Steven nor any of the missing clothes. Friday was a very busy day and went by without any communication ... No communication or no clothes came home with Steven.

Monday I called first thing in the morning requesting a meeting to talk to the Principle or a staff meeting and that Steven was not to be in any situation to take off his clothes at school meaning NO PE until some answers. I heard nothing from anyone all day. I posted on facebook at 3 pm my disgust and within the hour I got a call from Mrs. Rodgers. (ESE) .. she would not discuss anything with me other than a plan she has for Steven to change in a private bathroom in an IA classroom near the PE field. Still no clothes....no explanation as to where staff was what happened why he was there.

I think it is important for you to know that the Department of Children and Families came to my home that Saturday claiming that your staff called them to say that Steven reported I punched him in the face, after the missing clothes incident. I have photos of him on my facebook on and before each day that week and I had company in my home and therapy each day of the week in my home THANK GOD! so the tiny scratch on the side of his face was explained and no indicators were there to say ANYONE punched him in the face. I was needless to say now more than before more concerned that a BULLY act took place and some boys took Steven's clothes and threatened to punch him in the face...makes perfect sense because he is not aware of where his clothes are. The clothes have never come home. The clinic made no call to me as to the scratch on Steven, no call at all with any health concerns yet they questioned him.

More importantly your staff have not set a meeting with me, given me an incident report or any explanation as to how my child disrobed, lost his clothes, found some one else's clothes, put them on and was found this way UNSUPERVISED with an IEP that clearly protects him from any of this to happen.

At this time I have lost all trust that my son is safe in the care of Mariner Middle School and need an alternative placement for the remainder of this year. My goal is to get him in the life skills at Ida backer High so an 8th grade class setting prior to that is my goal. Steven's IEP states IA today and this has been a total nightmare for me, I need to be assured he is not bullied, and is not in harms way. I feel the lack of communication has been broken beyond repair at Mariner Middle School.

CC: Nancy Harris, Steven's Education Advocate

Sincerely,
Mary Beth Pringle

Thursday, February 17, 2011

Some weeks are all about the journey

It is time for a post; more important time for my therapy through writting.

A little over a week ago things seemed to be rolling along fairly "normal" for the life I live. I had taken some time to get new staff in place since my oldest daughter was stopping work with us and moving on to other higher employment opportunities. In doing this we found some wonderful family connections through school contacrs who already know my children and worked with them for years. they know how I parent and where i lack so they know where they can assist.. Yes, i admit I lack. I suck at making sure all their home work is done. I try to get them on it and try to keep them going but it some times is so frustrating with everything else. Volunteers are always welcome here for home work time...

So it is a Wed. last Wed to be exact. The kids wake and get ready for school.. it is chilly so they all wear jeans. shirts and hooded swetshirts with zippers and hoods. The day felt like any other. The buses come home, Lucas and his dirty clothes are tied to his book bag, planner written in from the day... time for Lucas to play. tressa and jordan come in with their jackets on and they quickly shed their school atire and move to homework and play (no therapy on Wed) The last bus comes at 5 pm with Kaitlyn and Steven... I will never forget the moment. I look at Steven and he is wearing some sort of old tattered T shirt and shorts way too small. He walks in and puts down his book bag. I ask him where his clothes are. he shrugs his shoulders... I ask again..he shrugs again so I look in his book bag, no clothes, his planner has nothing written in it and no note. I put Steven in time out for refusing to talk and tell him he can get out when he tells me where his clothes are... nothing... I go to my phone to look for missed calls or messages, nothing, no texts... I call the school about 5:15 pm and the lady who answers chuckles with the statement "it was the oddest thing, we found Steven in the gym and we can not find his clothes" "he would not communicate where his clothes are nor get them" She said they were going to have "coach" call me tomorrow after he looks to find the clothes. Thursday Steven goes to school...I hear nothing and he comes home without the lost clothes. Friday was a busy day and I lost track of time before I realized Stven is home again with no notes, nothing in his planner and the lost clothes still not in his possesion. I am going to post and see what families feel I should do (FB) and I get lots of suggestions... Saturday comes...We have out of town guests in our home and we are celebrating JoJo's Birthday ..... A knock at the door delievers DCF to my home stating they have a report on me for abuse?????????????? WHAT???????????????????? they explain the school called stating Stven "SAID" that I punched him in the face.... OK there is not punch marks no black eye nothing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! He did have a scratch on the side of his face..a small scratch he is picking ..... BUT WHAT>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> as I hold my compposure I get Steven from the back yard and she asks him questions... she quickly learns his vocabulary is limited and his face is flawless. I am not going a million directions in my mind...Was the clothes thing a bully act and someo ne said they were going to punch him in the face and rumnmors at school have surfaced by the bully crowd> THEN kaitlyn tells me the police where at the gym and the policeman took Steven's jeans and put Steven's underwear on his head... NOW I am out of my mind. I sit them down and ask them to go through their day. Kaitlyn was not even there in the gym, she had many more stories, Steven said no no no there was not a police man. Then it makes me crazy on why would the ese specialist call in a report because Steven did tell me it was Ms Michael who said I punched him in the face .... WHY the clinic didn't call me asking me about a scratch, the clinic didn't call about anything and I have yet to get a call or incident report on my child taking his clothes off and putting on some one Else's clothes let alone where he had access to the clothes who got them for him, was he naked, was he with WHOM????? I got many many suggestions and took many to heart and have my supports. BUT again what is a parent to believe happened... I am letting the officials now do their jobs.

That all brought me to many levels of disbelief. TO learn that my support company failed to have their files at 100% and my new staff needs to stop immediately for in home support.... Yeah.... does it get any better than this.

The weekend went well despite. Then I get an email about a baby I had sought to adopt months ago back available for adoption...my heart hurt deeply.

The week progresses..... I register for Family CAFE, get Jordan IEP annual meeting completed in one sitting. Very pleased. On to making annual eye appointments, getting their new glasses ordered and setting dental appointments. Lucas is getting boyhood surgery to drop a ball, Kaitlyn her mouth surgery and life goes on.

Today, today..... I get up to get Kaitlyn to the eye center at 8 am (4 blocks away) all is well in and out by 8:08am. Home to drop her off and pick up Emma and Jordan to Healthpark to the Developmental Neurologist... I am in the van 1/4 tank of gas, and rush hour traffic over the bridge into Ft Myers. My appointment is 9 am I am all good. I have my coffee hot and creamy.. Jordan is watching DVD all is good. I look over to my left and a lady looks back.... a bit grumpy but nothing out of the ordinary. I make the last turn on to the bridge leaving Cape Coral..... as I approach the other side of the bridge the same lady that we made eye contact pulls up along side my van and flips up her middle finger... I smile, confused as I am just driving... She slows down looking over her should waving her finger at me trying to communicate something I have no idea what it was about...seriously I do not. I smile and sign GOOD MORNING.... I am not sure she knows American sign but she came back to be sure I saw her sign..maybe she wanted to be sure I had a good morning???? it was comedy at it's best for me. I kept driving through the toll and again signed good morning with a smile....I went to the right and she continued into Ft Myers straight in... I sure hope she had a good day....

My day was loaded with mishaps but made the goals of getting done all I set out to achieve. I think it is all good...If it is not please leave me out of that memo I am off to a wonderful weekend four low key days to be FAMILY and celebrate Steven turning 14

Monday, February 7, 2011

"Mom, I had my best dream ever!!" says Tressa

Tressa woke this morning with two issues..She was so excited she said she had three dreams. She said she had the best dream ever... I asked her what was the dream about.

Tressa proceeds to tell me in her dream her Uncle got hurt really bad and had to go to the hospital. She said she went to see her Uncle at the hospital and her Principal's wife and two children were there and she got to see them and spend time with them,.. Her best dream ever..... LOL Yep, that's it. Have no idea how the Uncle is doing...LOL

She then could not recall her other two dreams she was so excited to get to school and tell her Principal about her dream.

Then she tells me she is having severe head aches in the night that wake her up, she said she has a really bad one this morning. These come and go with her. We have a check up in March and a overnight in the hospital in June. I am not sure what causes her head aches. It bothers me that she is so young and gets such intense pain from headaches. her blood sugars are OK, maybe something else if off??? Email to the Docs (specialists) to get ideas.

Saturday, February 5, 2011




Hockey 101 tonight went well B+ I'll give it


This was the kids' first Hockey game. I have taken them to the arena for Disney on Ice but this was different. I left the house early because i had heard the traffic into the games are long and slow. I got there over an hour early... no traffic, nothing slow and parking right up front. They had a jam session going on in front of the entrance, and a bounce house for small children. My small children would be Lucas who would never jump inside a bounce house and Emma who would not want anyone to know she can bounce on her feet.... ;o) So we watched and Jordan became anxious. We ran into a FB friend Cheryl and her two girls, then Annie Ravis and her crew where there. Was a nice night and everyone was having a good time.

They let us in to watch the kids Hockey game on side ice rinks. This gave me some time to explain the game to the kids and let them see the puck and how it works in the game. Jordan was more interested in the stairs, he has been fascinated in steps lately, any where we go he wants to go up and down stairs. There was food so we stopped for dinner...... we might have gotten comp tickets but they made that up in dinner. $10.00 for 4 nuggets/small fries/soda EACH... then popcorn, chips and cheese... dang.... and I didn't even get a chance to have a drink...

When we enter one of the girls greeting guests talked to Jordan and offered for a photo, Jordan was smiles from ear to ear and asked her to come to our house...LOL
He was saying Hi to many people who responded nicely. I need to teach him what "my type" looks like because he tends to connect with the older men and wants me to introduce them to his mom.

I saw mostly 97% adults, not many kids. Then there we were.... Kaitlyn got very excited to see her teachers come in. She did well, knew many of the chants, watched the signals for cheers caught on to the bangers and rhythm. Steven was eating popcorn and seemed content, Lucas was ready to go as soon as we got there, Emma found kicking the seat in front of us fun..that was OK when Cheryl was sitting in the seat but they left and another man sat there...he did not find my Emma so cute as she kicked his seat and many times his head..Cheryl had the groove to move with her and they made it a game...this man was not into the whole game experience, and then we have Jordan... My big bad Jordan who cried like a baby when the lights went down and the game began. Jumping around crying "I want to go, let's leave" crying hysterically. I had Emma in my lap, Kaitlyn and Lucas on my side and no space to help calm him down. He did the sprint, Keirsten followed him as they took time to get use to the level of noise. One would never think JORDAN would have reacted like this. I never know which one what will bother. I sat and watched ice cold beers some with lime and some so cold I could taste it...LOL the whole attending with seven children and a beer just didn't connect.

We stayed until the 2nd set was near ending and fights were starting. I had no desire to explain the fist fighting so we called it a night at near 9 pm and headed home. Lucas was falling asleep, Emma was tired of sitting and Tressa I had pealed off the floor finding dropped food one too many times so it was time.., we chanted BLADES BLADES BLADES as we left. We were up so hope they won. The kids had fun, they saw a Hockey Game... all is well.

Friday, February 4, 2011

5 minute job, maybe for the professional




I get the "repair kit" it says right on the front 5 minutes to change out the inside parts to your toilet. OK, we have gone without one toilet for a week it is time I tackle the 5 minute job. FIVE MINUTES BULLLLONEY!! Two days, three outfit changes and one huge headache and the toilet is back in use.

EVERBLADES here we come......

Thank you Christy for the link for the Dream Home. I must have been on your mind. It was a tough morning. I do not know why I let some little things bother me so much but when it comes to my children it means everything even the little things.

Jordan snuck some soda to school, took care of that. Tressa didn't wipe well and had an odor this morning, I REALLY NEED A BA DAY!!! well TRESSA really needs a baday. Then comes the ever dreaded call back to the middle school...

I called Wed. and they said the Hockey tickets that were being given out to the students are in the kids' bookbags. OK, when Kaitlyn got home no tickets, she was insistent that she was not given the tickets, very sure she did not have anyone give her tickets. She actually got mad that I wanted to go through her book bag. Thursday I call the school and again they say the tickets were given out and her blue slip is in the envelope with the tickets... No tickets, no blue slip and no envelope.. so I look through Steven's bookbag (same school) nope.. So we have to drive to the school because Steven is sick and appears he might vomit on the bus ride home. I drive out and go into the school to discuss tickets...ticket person is gone for the day.. Friday TODAY I cal and ask to speak to the ticket lady... She explains that Kaitlyn never turned in the slip to get tickets.. OH HOLD ON A MINUTE.... I am 100% sure Kaitlyn turned in the slip because it had a request for 10 tickets and it was in question because they were tickets for family only....I explained the kids PCA helpers would be going so that I did not have an issue with steep bleachers..pucks, cool air, etc. Now they say she didn't turn in the slip...AND that all the tickets are spoken for they got 600 tickets sponsored to the school for students and their families to go..OK, well our bus driver is going..... you know me, I love to talk, I am chatty Mary .... GATHERING INFO before you approach situations... I am a good listener. Amazing how many people tell me I am a good listener. Well if you are not a good listener you can not gather information now can you... OK, I get it, my children do get to do a lot of things. That has a lot to do with me searching out free activities, coupons, deals, and advocating for anything out there. I do not steal or lie. I have no problem asking for anything for my children. I would not be so frustrated is so many things pass the kids by when the school doesn't get information to parents with children who have special needs. Most kids "hear" things and can speak up, Kaitlyn is oblivious because she is focused on getting to class, doing the right thing all the time. Steven well he filled out the blue form himself before I ever saw it so that was simply a lost cause...I could have filled both out seeking 5 on each and not gotten the sticker shock of Oh my gosh one family wants ten tickets... yes we are a family of more than 2.5 children. I have all the extra .5's....

No fear, momma Tiger here... The Pringle children will be at the rink tomorrow night per treat of the EVERBLADE'S TEAM... They told me to be sure the kids' come with sweaters. YEAH!! they have never been to a Hockey Game so this is going to be interesting. I am hoping very little fighting this week would be good. I am doing it solo as well..... Pray for me, bleachers 7 little uncoordinated people and no experience to what to expect. LOL the journey of being their mommy.

Nominate us for a DREAM HOME

APPLICATION IS EASY
http://cdn.origin.dadt.com/live/contest/dreamhome/MailEntryForm.pdf


http://www.dadt.com/live/contest/dreamhome/rules.html

b) To enter and submit a Letter by mail: Starting on February 4, 2011, Contestant may download the Contest Entry Form from the Web Site at http://cdn.origin.dadt.com/live/contest/dreamhome/MailEntryForm.pdf and legibly complete the required Contest entry fields on the Contest Entry Form. Both Contestant and "the nominator" (if applicable) must provide first and last name; street address; city, state/province; ZIP/postal code; daytime phone (include area code); evening phone (include area code); cell phone (including area code) if available; email address; answer the question "Have you or any members of the household been on television? Y/N"; and complete Contestant's Letter in 1,000 words or less ("Online Entry Fields"). Video and Photo are optional Entry components and a URL address will also be accepted. The completed Contest Entry Form; Letter (1,000 words or less); a Video, Photo or link (optional) must be mailed together in an envelope (no larger than 8 x 10) with proper postage affixed to: Regis & Kelly's Dream Home Giveaway, Ansonia Station, P.O. Box 230233, New York, NY 10023-0004 ("Mail Entry"). A Mail Entry Video must be in one of the following formats: VHS or DVD. Mail Entry Photo must not exceed 8" x 10". Contest Entry Form will also be available by mail. Send a self-addressed stamped envelope to: Regis & Kelly's Dream Home Giveaway "Contest Entry Form," P.O. Box 11029, Burbank, CA 91510. All requests must be received by February 24, 2011. All Mail Entries must be received by March 4, 2011. Entries sent to the Contest Entry Form mailing address will be disqualified.

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

snotty noses yuck

Buckets of snot flowing around here. I have some with clear constant water type, I have the crusty dried and thick white sneezing blast type... Kleenex loves times like this. Then that another multi tasking... I need the soft lotion type for little noses and the dry type for wiping snot off glasses... ever wipe your child's glasses with lotion tissues and send them on their way...they walk into things I Know.

it was 3 am, Jordan in the shower, he informs me he is not going to school and proceeds to demonstrate this terrible cough (a cough he did great acting on) He then demanding I confirm he will not be going to school.. I convinced him more sleep could tell if he needed to be home. A wake up sneeze (he is the one with the thick white mucus) confirmed OK, lets keep your germs home today. As Tressa was getting to the bus Katie yelled Jordan is not dressed. I explain Jordan is sick going to the Doctor.. he quickly jumps up and say NO I WANT TO GO TO SCHOOL! When I explained he has germs and should take today to rest and we could go get his blood draw this morning he said No, no mom I am sick in my head. I am sick in my head mom, no shots...as he is demonstrating a blood draw. You see when we have been going to all his MRI, CAT scans he has always asked over and over about shots and I said no, no shots at your head doctor... so the whole being sick in the head to him is a good thing in the medical aspects. (his seizure Doctor)

Keirsten is tending to her own snotty nose and Emma well she leaves her every need on my shoulders... LOL literally snot wet shoulder... Steven is congested snot and a cough coming and Katie is the faucet running like water.... I am taking my vitamins like they are gum drops from heaven...