You organize people's homes?? Will you come to mine??? :Angel_anim:

Maybe if someone figures out a way to get Autism coded for payment, they can post it here? We are all probably drowning in debt! I know we are. We have two handicapped sons. One with Autism/ADHD, One with severe MR,CP,seizure disorder and DD. We have a daughter with ADD and I have severe migraines. Our meds co-pay alone is $500.00/ month. :confused:

Hey, thanks! I forgot about that! I just got to feeling so comfortable here that I didn't think about all the people reading it. Blessings, Candace

I think there is a lot more to the "Parade" than just comfort in numbers. While I have only seen one, the majority of participants are not what I would call your "average" homosexuals. I think that there may be a political agenda or maybe a "in your face" agenda to the parade? I have quite a few friends that have come out of the closet through the years and a very good friend from work. He said that many in the community are offended by that type of flamboyancy and culture of the parades. Most of them want to be viewed as normal couples living normal lives just as heterosexuals and things like the parade are counter-productive to that. I am not getting into the debate here whether I approve or disapprove of the lifestyle or whether I think it is inherited or not. I just choose as a Christian to love the person I'll leave it at that. ;)

Great job! Very impressive how you can take pictures while standing on one foot! I'm still trying to get through that dang pile on my bed. There are so many clothes and I don't know what to do with them. Due to the meds I'm on and being so sick from migraines, I'm down to a size 4. I've NEVER been a size 4. So, I have clothes sizes 6-12. I don't know whether to keep them in case they take me off the meds or get rid of them because they take up so much room and I've been this size almost a year... What to do...what to do.... :willy_nilly:

Jessica :grouphug: As homeschoolers, most of us have at least one of "those" people in our lives that make us feel that we are fighting an uphill battle and know just how to push that right button to completely deflate us. Your son is four and four-year-old boys are a bit rambunctious. It seems from all of your posts that you have only the best intentions for your children. I think a year in a public preschool would cause you to need a year of PS detox. Just take the next year and focus on some character training. Maybe your husband can set down some house rules with the people that aren't hearing you about bringing in all the toys and clothing? Love on your little guy and have some great experiences reading and nature hunting together. There is a big change between four and five. Just take a peek in your Sunday School rooms at church. ;) Your son needs his mommy next year. :001_smile:

We have huge medical debts and need to pay as much on them as possible. We pay cash for everything else. I agree with what's been said as well. If you don't budget, it's amazing to see how much you can just spend on "stuff". A budget doesn't have to be a noose around your neck. In fact, it can be enlightening because you know where your money is going and you can make informed decisions. If you want to spend money on "xyz" then you can do it, you just have to think about it first and make sure that it's something you really want. (If you aren't on a fixed budget; otherwise it's coming out somewhere else).

x

First of all, I am so sorry that you hit a brick wall with PS :grouphug:. However, if they are fighting you in even acknowledging the problem, can you imagine them giving your son the help he needs? I would step back a bit like others have said. It is still July. Children with ASD are almost always visual learners and Singapore is usually (usually) not a good fit. They need to be able to "see" math. I would also highly recommend Math U See. Your son can watch the videos with you and then he can see and feel the manipulative as he does his math. We have started Kindergarten at home with our ASD/ADHD son this summer and I know that it is no picnic. Our son has many meltdowns and says he's tired, "My brain doesn't work" etc. so I can relate. I do things in 15 - 20 min segments and then he is allowed to do something he wants to do...matchbox cars, draw, play on the swing set, etc. There has to be a system of rewards built into the day. One thing to remember is that everything we are asking them to do is hard for them and so there needs to be some sort of recognition for their work. Just as we may stop for a coffee in the afternoon after grocery shopping (just an example). Don't give up. Some day, you will see the benefits of all of the hard work. I have raised a daughter with severe LD. When we adopted her, she had been severely neglected for her first 9 months and has many problems including auditory processing, visual processing disorders, dyslexia, and a relatively low IQ. There were many days over the past 18 years that I just wanted to give up. But she is the most loving young lady that I could ever imagine and lives her entire life for the Lord. She has a servants heart and of all her sisters, helps me the most with her disabled brothers. This year she will be starting her own cleaning service after she finishes her apprenticeship. When she was five, I was told that she would be lucky if she ever read, period. I just think of it in terms of baby steps because if you look any further ahead, you get totally overwhelmed and it just becomes too much. Take it all 15 minutes at a time. :001_smile::grouphug:

There is a very good copy at half.com for 14.99. I think shipping was 3.99 or close. Check it out. You don't want to pay full price, it's expensive! http://product.half.ebay.com/The-Victor-Journey-Through-the-Bible_W0QQitemZ340704952917QQtgZvidetailsQQprZ789010

I need the creative juices of the hive mind. For a long time we have been using "Sparrows Nest Academy" as our school name. I never did like it and I don't know where I came up with it. We just picked it and used it until I came up with something different. I want to start a blog and need to change it. I would like to have the word cottage in the business or blog or school name. Anyone have a good idea? :confused: My blog is going to deal with homeschooling a houseful including two very special needs children and a working mom. Thanks in advance!

I was pretty much into the hair bands back then. I liked Pat Benatar too. Has anyone mentioned Adam Ant? I'm pretty sure I had one of his albums.

:lurk5: My bathrooms are in pretty good shape, but my bedroom is the scariest place on earth. So I guess I'll do a 30 minute in there before going off to the 2nd scariest place on earth....work. :lol:

she tried to change me inside and out as soon as I joined the church. From the way I dressed (to moderately I guess) :w00t: all the way to my marriage. No matter what I said to her, she just didn't get it. And it hurt, so I know you are hurting. :grouphug: The final straw for me came the day when I was in bed with a blinding migraine. She actually walked into my house and came into my bedroom where I had the door closed because of, well, you know... illness issues. She had brought me a gift she said. She told me that I needed to discipline my youngest more efficiently because he was not obedient enough and that I was not doing my biblical duty as a God-honoring mother. Mind you, I could only see out of one eye and could barely think. She had brought me a switch and told me to start using it pronto. Gah! :eek: For those of you that don't know, my youngest has Autism and we work on his behavior as much as we can, but the last thing that this poor child needed at the time was a switch. And the last thing I needed that day was a lecture. I sent her out of my room and out of my life. I spoke to our pastor a couple days later and apparently, many in the church had problems with her and her "lack of boundaries". And she has the most problems of all. So I agree with the ladies that have said that she probably has things in her life that are out of whack and she is probably trying to "fix" you so that she doesn't have to fix herself. My friend just globs on to on person and then another because she just can't face her own life. I hope that you are able to set some boundaries in your life with your friend.:001_smile:

Thank you for more great ideas!

So what happened at the post office? Inquiring minds want to know. As it is the USPS, did they take care of it? :bigear:

Ok, I've actually done this one! ;) I learned it from someone. I wrap my ham in aluminum foil before putting it in the crockpot. It keeps it very moist. For our personal tastes, we add pineapple or cherry pie filling (sometimes a bit of both!) It really helps.

:lurk5: waiting to hear with you! :-)

These all look delicious. Thank you for sharing! Mmmmm.....

Thank you! I was able to print out the month of menus. Many items that my family would like and that I can put on my rotation. I am getting some great ideas from you ladies and am so thankful! :D

My kids will like this. Thank you!

to get me started ladies! Thank you! :drool:

:grouphug: LNC :grouphug: I also have a profoundly disabled 14yo son. With a few medical exceptions, he is much like yours. It is so unfortunate that this has happened, but it happens a lot. Don't let them get away with it. You got as far as getting the nursing help, that couldn't have been an easy path; I know because I'm still on it. So stay strong. You must have known in your gut that something wasn't right about the situation. Our children cannot fend for themselves. I have had times when I just knew that the caregiver wasn't "right" and I have stayed home. You just need to let them know that this isn't just a preference, but you will not allow a man to take care of your son and that you expect the nurses schedules on a certain date and that you will not train the nurses unless you are compensated with additional respite hours or pay or ... It's easy for me to say to do these things and another to do them, but along the line, you just get tired. Some days it's hard to fight, but I just keep in mind that its for my kids who can't fight for themselves. Unfortunately, these places all know that a lot of moms get tired and do stop fighting and they count on it. So stay strong and we are behind you 100 % :toetap05:

Oh, I saw that your kiddo-s are a bit older than I thought ;) Put someone in charge of watching mom! Someone else can be in charge of the wee-ones. Hey, I know all about the turning 40 syndrome! Stuff starts falling apart. I think the warranty is up! :lol:

I'd call the place where you had the scan and tell them what happened. See if that is possible. Make sure you keep your feet up. Do you have anyone near-by to help in case it happens again? All of your children are little, aren't they? You don't want to pass-out with all of those wee-ones there. I would think if it was a reaction to the IV that you would have had it at the scan though. It may just be from the fast and then the scan. But I'm not a doctor. You need medical advice. Make sure you are hydrated also. Keep us posted.