Met her new teachers for 4th grade.

Met my daughters new teachers for 4th grade. I like to set up a meeting before schools starts to meet with Mariah's new teacher/s.This year our little elementary school will be doing DEPARTMENTALIZING. She will have 3 different teachers for 90 minutes each. Mariah's morning will start out with going to Mrs. V for WRITING & Social Studies then Mrs. L for MATH & SCIENCE and then her homeroom teacher is Mrs. Moon who will be teaching her READING this year! (names have been changed)

Mariah is soooo ready to start school righth now and is excited to see all her friends and excited to make new ones this year! She was very happy to go to this meeting with daddy and I to meet all her new teachers and to see her Para and her Principal. She was very well behaved and happy during our meeting. She had a little note pad with her and a pen, at home I showed her pictures of her new teachers in the yearbook. I wrote down all of her teachers names on her little pad of paper, she was practicing writing their names and even drew a nice little picture that she gave to her new homeroom and READING teacher Mrs. Moon! That was a good 'ice-breaker' for all of us to see that she 'had good spacing' when she wrote! Her drawing skills were 'more developed' than what her usual drawings are....comments were made on how much she has grown and how well her talking skills had, improved! Oh my girl has no problem talking and communicating...its about if those listening want to really 'connect' to her and give her the time to respond. She is becoming a typical Pre-Tweeny for sure! Loves iCarly these days, using her own cell phone, dancing, horseback riding, swimming, loves lip gloss and I just let her buy her first eye shadow, very light shade of course!

Mariah will be turning 11 years old on September 26th and talks everyday about the BOWLING PARTY she is going to have and wants to invite everyone to!I was nervous of course when I first walked into this meeting...but quickly relaxed when I was met with 3 happy smiling teachers and to see her Para there also! She isn't usually at any of our IEP meetings, she works the closest with my daughter and many times I don't think teachers share 'the details' of what's said at the IEP 'team' meetings or what's important to the parent, so much gets lost in translation. Don't know why the Para's aren't invited to attend IEP meetings!?...I do believe this is going to be a really wonderful year this year! Last year...I just want to put behind us and never have a year like we did last year! I presented to Mariah's 4th grade team 'what my hopes and dreams' are for this school year...also had a WISH LIST of all the things that I believe to be what will help Mariah have a wonderfully academically successful year that we all will be proud of her accomplishments at the end of the year. Will everything go perfectly the entire year....probably not...but gosh if you don't let teachers know 'the foundation' of what is important to you at the beginning of a brand new school year and what you are expecting...and let's not forget the communication that is needed from the first day of school.....being open and honest up front...I have grown in being a better advocate for my daughter....and others as well...I am not new at this...she is going into the 4th grade, I should know how to talk to 'new teachers'....and help them understand what my expectations are from them as my daughters teacher...no fake fronts, getting along and talking is a daily, weekly thing that has to happen to make it a good year for all of us. Being part of an awesome team is exciting...I am happy with the choices of teachers that Mr. Principal has choosen for my daughter. He knows me....God Bless him...he sure does know me....wonder what he really thinks about strong advocate parents like me....wonder what goes thru his mind when he sees my email address pop up on his blackberry....gotta love our Principals!! I am not the only parent he is trying to 'keep happy'!

I will be posting to my BLOGS Mariah's school year experiences....to share with the world how things are going with FULL INCLUSION in the 4th grade...of course with all the supports and servicces that will help her be successful!

Bookmark this blog....keep it handy...the stories...I hope will all be positive and on the up and up....not like what happened to us during her first day of 3rd Grade Reading Camp at Riversand Elem over the summer....it was just the 1st day that was bad...oh so bad...but having her attend the Reading Camp was a wonderful experience for sure! Mariah tells me she misses READING CAMP and Mr. R!

Mariah's 4th Grade Team ROCKS!!

August 20nd, 2009

Summertime & Summer Camps

Friday, May 15, 2009

Summertime & Summer Camps

This is the summer that she will be going to summer camps! Which ones?? There are so many to choose from!

Mariah is old enough now to go away to sleep away camps and independent enough to be with her girlfriends! So this is the summer that Mariah will be going to her first weekend sleepover Girl Scout Camp! It will only be for a Friday night, Saturday night and home by noon on Sunday...she is going to be with all girls her age, no adults allowed in the tent/cabin area during the sleepover. I have made arrangements that a 'buddy' Girl Scout will be keeping an extra set of eyes on her at all times, not sure if this scout will be able to earn a badge for helping, but she should!

Mariah is very excited about going away to her Girl Scout Camp sleepover...she used to call them: FLUFF-OVER'S...when she younger and wasn't able to say the 'sl' at the beginning of words, she can do that now. She will also be attending a CAMP FIRE evening through the Girl Scouts. I can attend that with her if I want to...not sure if will or not...she needs more opportunities to 'be on her own and independent' of me...and I need more opportunities to let her spread her wings and be independent! *this is harder for the me to do!

In July she will be attending a 2 week DANCE CAMP that will be from 8AM - 6PM Monday - Friday. This will be at her Dance Explosion dance school. This again will be her first time going to CAMP! She has been attending dance classes since she was just a tiny little munchkin at 5 years old, so there are so many staff and students that have watched her grow up and blossom into a such a nice little dancer! She has her DANCE EXPLOSION RECITAL coming up on May 30th, 2009. The recital will be on the 'big stage' as Mariah likes to call it...she so loves to be on the big stage and perform! Anything that has to do with being in front of an audience or a microphone, or costumes, make-up and applause! She is destined to be in front of people for sure! She knows how to 'work the crowd' and loves the lime light! I have visions of her one day being a NATIONAL SPEAKER or performing in front of large groups! She holds her own when given the opportunity to shine! She is a crowd pleaser!

This will be her first year not attending the ESY Program (stands for Extended School Year) this is the Special Ed Summer Program for students that are receiving special ed services and supports at school. Therapies that are provided during the school year can be carried over during the ESY program, many times 'teams' want to only allow the most minimal of therapy services during ESY, but if I attend others IEP's...this is one area I will speak up passionately about. No where in any State rules does it say it has to be HALF of what the student was receiving during the school year! Oops...my Special Ed Advocate Soap Box is showing...lol. She has enjoyed riding the bus to her ESY program for the past 4 years, in fact many times the main reason I would sign her up for the ESY Program was just to allow her the time to RIDE A SCHOOL BUS 2 times in one day, since she never had an opportunity to ride a bus to school. She would be so happy just to be able to ride the bus for a few weeks in the summer. Now that she is riding the bus everyday to and from school...its no big deal to us over the summer that she get 'the bus ride'. The ESY Program is a GREAT program for many of our Children, I have visited and observed her ESY classes over the years and have to say I think that more of our Children need and should be attending. Some parents decline, some IEP "teams" deny and others parents have to fight all the way to a Due Process to have their Child included in this wonderful program!! I don't understand why some IEP 'teams' make such a fuss over the little bit of summer help that it provides to those that ABSOLUTELY need it! Dang some of those IEP teams that make such a fuss and upset the parents over this wonderful summer program! This year for Mariah's ESY services, I requested that she continue to use the Online ODYSSEY COMPUTER Program that Mariah uses everyday in school. So she will be able to continue keep up with her Odyssey program and keep her academic skills up. I love this program! Ask your Child's teacher if their school uses the Odyssey program! It is also called Time4Learning www.time4learning.com if your school is not using Odyssey and you want to gain access to this same program yourself. So MUCH is available for our VISUAL LEARNERS today! It's time for Mariah to have her own LAPTOP for her learning!!! She gets on my computer at anytime and goes to any program she wants to do...she is very computer literate and has progressed so much academically because of her computer programs. I am so proud of all she is able to accomplish with her different computer programs! She owns a Wii and LOVES it! So much technology today that our Children benefit from!So THIS YEAR...for summer break, Mariah will be HOME SCHOOLED with several COMPUTER PROGRAMS! She has been doing a wonderful READING PROGRAM called Headsprout www.headsprout.com since she was in the 1st grade...she has learned to read with this program! It provides the best documentation on progress that is worth its weight in gold! Please if your child is a visual learner and needs help with learning how to read..this IS THE READING PROGRAM! Only costs $200 and can be paid for in 4 payments over a 4 month period. There are 80 episodes and any episode can be redone and the entire program does not have a time limit on when you have to 'finish it'...this is the amazing part of the program...you could start it all over again when you get to the 80th episode to reinforce skills learned!Brain Pop Jr. and Brain Pop www.brainpopjr.com is the other online learning program Mariah has been using for some time now. This is only $79 per year. Time does run out on this one. But so worth it, since Mariah is a visual learner she loves hanging out in this program learning all sorts of subjects, concepts in math and science and all sorts of subjects! This is such a great resource for students and teachers too!Summer camps and home school summer school and a few Hotel visits with big pools...Mariah will be busy busy busy this summer for sure! Looking forward to a wonderful summer with Mariah!

E-burg family off to Eastern Europe for three special adoptions | PoconoRecord.com

E-burg family off to Eastern Europe for three special adoptions | PoconoRecord.com

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She auditioned to be a MUNCHKIN!! Got it!!..and was on the Ch.6 News!!

She auditioned to be a MUNCHKIN!! Got it!!..and was on the Ch.6 News!!

Oz the Musical http://www.ozthemusical.com/ Mariah auditioned for Oz the Musical thru her dance school and made the audition list!!! She will be a MUNCHKIN in this production on Friday July 6th at Gusman Theatre in Miami!! Just giving everyone a heads up to get your ticket in advance to see her in this wonderful production that is being played across the country! Her audition acceptance is with the Miami show and the CAST LIST from her weekly dance lessons at Dance Explosion.

YaHoooo! This is going to be FUN for Mariah! Thanks!...everyone!! Yah...she IS THE HAM!!....loves 'the stage'!!!...and microphones...cameras....audiences....applause...and of course being in the 'spotlight'....dancing....horse shows...and newest to her list of 'FUN' is..."being interviewed" by a "Ch 6 News Sports caster"! ...he was very good looking too!...after talking with her for a good few minutes and interacting with her during the interview process, Mariah pointed out to Adam..."what BIG eyebrows he has"!! OMG..she had us all laughing so hard!! She so held her own being interviewed! She's FUNNY! I so missed seeing it on TV 2 weeks later during the Channel 6 News!!!...my mom said it was a nice piece. Mariah and I were both interviewed...pertaining to her Horse riding and training with Horses and the Handicapped and how good 'Hippo-therapy' really is for people!...I totally missed seeing it...but will get a CD copy I'm sure! I am hoping to also get the un-cut verson of Mariah's entire interview. Here is a link on You Tube for the News clip from Ch 6 News 5/5/09 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1kku0SgX-HA Here is a previous Horses and the Handicapped News clip that is really nice explaining the wonderful Hippo-Therapy program! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jpkr-COXH_Espan > School is close to over and summer is soon to be here!! Mariah and I have many things planned!

Everyday is a FUN day with Mariah!

Have a Fantabulous Day today!

GC Cookies for Valentine's

GS Cookies for Valentine's

Today was a perfect day to spend with friends selling Girl Scout Cookies in front of Publix! We signed up to be there from 11-3pm at the year old Publix nearby. 2 girls, Mariah a 2nd year Brownie and Amarie a 2nd year Daisy. This is our last weekend to sell as much as we can...Mariah and Amarie made a great team out in front of Publix! This was easy compared to the several times Mariah and I have gone out 'canvasing the neighborhood' selling our blue cooler full of cookies to anyone that would open their door or if we saw them 'moving'...Mariah does really good going to door to door! She seems to have more energy to 'keep moving' and 'keep going on' when she has to MOVE and gets to run about and or walk at whatever pace she wants...standing in front of the store is a different approach to 'getting sales'...she didn't seem to be as into selling today as she has previous, maybe she is all COOKIED out!! It was wonderful hangin with my friend and her daughter watching our girls get out there and SELL SELL SELL those cookies. The fundraiser goal the girls are working towards is to go to a WATER PARK! When 3pm rolled around we sold about 60 boxes of cookies! That gets split with how many Scouts are working the table, today it was only 2 girls, so they sold 30 boxes each!Just before we broke down our Cookie Booth, my oldest brother Don 'stumbled upon' us because he went to Publix to pick up some groceries. UNCLE DON!!...Mariah was so surprised to see him! Pictures were snapped and memories were forever captured digitally...my brother is here visiting from Seattle and staying for while. He and Mariah have a magical connection! We took him home and had some fun conversation during the car ride, the back seat was full with cases of COOKIES, the table and the signs. All 3 of us sat in the front seat with Mariah in the middle, she cuddled up to him and was just so happy to 'see him here'!! We are loving having my oldest brother visiting and running into him when we are out and about...he is so gosh darn FUNNY and makes everyone laugh and smile! The world needs more happy - funny people that are FUN to be around! He has good happy energy! Don...we love you so much! Mariah had another FUN day....being a cookie selling Brownie!

Aftercare bounce house with my Friends! Jan.19.2009

Valentine's and classmates...She saw them two weeks ago when they first 'hit the market'...the newest and the coolest Valentine's to pass out in class! I didn't want to buy them then...but who could resist her pleas for them...NOW!!! "Pleasezzzz mom" ..."Sponge Bob mom..."

I think I said no a couple of times and even put them back up on the shelf where they were displayed, but everytime they found their way back into our shopping cart. Mariah just wasn't going to take no for an answer so easy this time. She wanted those and only those and she just had to have them the week they came out! Ok..ok..we can get them! Oh my goodness the HAPPY look on her face, the joy she had in my letting her get them NOW...why did I even think we didn't need to get them NOW..what was I thinking?!

It was such a little thing that MADE HER DAY! She was so excited to carry the bag that held them to the car. In the car she could only think of giving them to ALL HER FRIENDS at school! Valentine's Day was two weeks away, way to early to need to sign her name to all 21 of them! I put them in a special place so she could see the box everyday for the whole 2 weeks just waiting till it was time to write her name on each of them. The list of names from her class came home right around that time too. I put that nice list of names that was all neatly done so she could copy each and everyone of her friends names onto her new Sponge Bob Valentine's. Do you know that wonderful list of names could be nowhere to be found on the eve of Valentine's Day!

At Brownies tonight everyone made Valentine's Day cards and decorated colored paper with all sorts of goodies that Ms. Tina brought to the meeting for the girls to work on. Gotta remember Girl Scout COOKIE money was VERY IMPORTANT to get counted up and everyone to turned in their money tonight, as GS Council needs to be paid for all the cookies soon!

When we got home and ate a Turkey burger with cheese and a glass of iced tea, it was time to open the box of those Sponge Bob Squarepants Valentine's and finally put her name on them and 'set them up'. They are the folded kind that holds an individual CRABBY PATTY! Yummmmmmy!!

Valentine's Day is probably Mariah's most favorite day of the year! She loves thinking of all her friends and looking forward to the time she is able to share giving out and receiving all those colorful and yummy sugary sweets from everyone! She LOVES to LOVE!!!...and she LOVES her FRIENDS! One can never have too many friends!

Happy Valentine's Day everyone!

oxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

5 years old

Found this the other day...and just had to post it!
She rides painted horses too! This was taken at God's Little Acres.

Little Girls & Birthday Parties!

Little Girls & Birthday Parties!

Mariah was invited to a Birthday Party of one of her classmates yesterday. No big deal...but it IS A BIG DEAL! There was about 20 girls there, all are Mariah's classmates either they are in Mariah's GENERAL EDUCATION CLASSROOM or attend the AFTER SCHOOL CARE Program with Mariah. Mariah is PART of both those "groups" and is INCLUDED with her peers in school and out of school.

We arrived to the party ready to celebrate and have fun and 'do make-up and paint nails' as the theme was for the party was for all the girls to have a SPA DAY! Everyone is between the age of 8-10 years old. When we walked in everyone shouted, "MARIAH!" ...that made my little girl feel very WELCOMED for sure and it gave me a happy feeling to know that Mariah is really part of this nice little CIRCLE OF FRIENDS!One little girl quickly came up to her and took her hand and directed her to come sit at the table and asked her if she wanted to put on some make-up! Mariah was so willing to have everyone make a 'fuss over her', several started helping her with 'hair and make-up'! They used pink and blue HAIR CRAYONS to create streaks of fun hair colors in their hair! It was obvious to me to see that she truly does have girlfriends that help her be part of what everyone else is doing.

Mariah seems to be the 'quiet one' of the group, going along with what the others are doing, but seems to need a little extra encouragement to fully participate in what everyone else is doing. She can be content to sit back and watch or to lag behind the others and do her own thing...especially if the TV has SPONGEBOB on...I saw her sitting in front of the HUGE SCREEN TV-with bigger than life Sponge Bob on so I tried to get her to go back outside to be with the others, but Mariah was content to watch TV...because it was on! ugggghh

The party had all sorts of 'stations' for doing things...the NAIL SALON was in the living room with loads of different colored nail polishes displayed on the coffee table. The JEWELRY store was on another table along side the hallway wall, where they could pick out all sorts of beaded necklaces, earrings, pins and bracelets to wear. There was a rack of CUTE PROM DRESSES and DANCEWARE to try on and wear during the party. Hannah Montana was there!...really....as a stand up cardboard cutout where they could have their picture taken standing next to her! This was part of the goodie treat to take home...a picture was taken to go into a little Hannah Montana picture frame that was included in the Hannah Montana little goodie purse filled with all sorts of surprises.The Birthday song was sung, the cake was cut and eaten...they were all served some BUBBLY in plastic Champange glasses...this was of course Sparkling Apple Cider!

The presents were opened with everyone oohing and ahhing what the Birthday girl had received from everyone! Oh my the elegance and the girlie-girl SPA treatment they all experienced today! The GROUP PHOTO was taken in the backyard with everyone all dressed up and 'made-up' with their nail polish and jewelry on...everyone had a great time and showed true friendships towards each other...INCLUDING my little girl!

Today at this little Birthday Party the TRUE MEANING OF INCLUSION was happening naturally!This is WHY Inclusion in the classrooms has to happen...everyone wants to be accepted and liked...and of course INVITED TO THE BIRTHDAY PARTIES!

Thank you Kylee for inviting Mariah to your 9th Birthday Party, you will never know how important it is for her and how much it means to me as Mariah's mom that people like you ACCEPT Mariah into your CIRCLE OF FRIENDS! I am so happy you all like her and help her be part of the group! Everyone needs and wants friends!...and that includes those that are a little 'different'!

It was a FUN DAY!

"I get to ride the BUS home now mom?"

"I get to ride the BUS home now mom?"

This is what Mariah is saying to me and is so gosh darn happy to now be able to RIDE THE BUS HOME from school! My goodness this girl of mine and 'riding the school bus'!! Riding the school bus is a SPECIAL EVENT for her! Befoe she would only get to ride a school bus only during ESY aka Extended School Year for a few weeks over the summer. But know she is riding the bus both to school in the morning and being the first one to dropped off in the afternoons! She is now home by 2:10PM at the latest so far!

When she started riding the bus each year during he summer program (ESY) a few years back...The PAT - Parents As Teachers Program taught me: How to make little books using ZIP-LOCKS as page protectors, colored construction paper and the different photographers of her. These little homemade books were for her and I to read together, with her as the main character 'riding the bus'...we made these little books together she LOVED making them and they were HER BOOKS!! I would take a picture of her WAITING for the bus and then LOOKING down the street waiting the bus, then WALKING UP to the bus door, and GETTING ON the bus and of course if the 'nice' drivers would 'allow me' to step up on the steps, I could actually get a picture of her SITTING ON the bus with the biggest SMILE ever! She was the happiest girl in the whole world riding the bus for about 21 -28 days during her ESY summer school program. When the BUS would arrive home I would do the pictures all over again but as she was getting OFF the bus and WAVING good-bye to the bus and then with the bus in the background of the picture of one happy little girl that got to ride the bus two times in one day!

Over the years we have always taken her to school ourselves even though the bus transportation service could have been provided because she has an IEP and Special Ed services, we didn't 'trust' it for our little girl...but now that she is able to talk more and tell us more about her day and who was there or not and who helped her or who was mean to her...she is better able to tell us now more details of what her day is really like. Amazing what a few years will do in the way of her talking and communication skills! INCLUSION WORKS IF EVERYONE WORKS IT!

She and I have the nicest little conversations with no limits on what we can or can not talk about...it is so much fun to listen to her share with me about how her day went at school...she tells me when someone isn't there and frequently it seems to be her teacher! I love it that she can now finally TELL me who, what, when and where questions!! I am so proud of her and glad she is finally able to 'tell me so much more' about her day!! She talks to me about EVERYTHING...the sky's the limit and I see her wings are taking her to new heights! I get frustrated when people ask me what she just said and they don't fully understand what she is saying...to me people just need to TALK LESS AND LISTEN MORE! Because if we all practiced that those that don't speak up enough would be heard and those that talk too much would actually find out more about what's on the other person's mind. ...how did I go here?...

No more Aftercare!!

Mariah has been attending our After School Care Program at her elementary school for the past 6 years since she was just 4 years old! This school has the PLACE program aka Preschool Learning And Classroom Experience for 3- 5 year olds with developmental or speech delay. Mariah had been attending 2 other little preschools one was a typical church pre-school that LOVED her so much and everyone there did all they could to help her learn new skills that most 2 year olds should do. My son and daughter were the only 'toe-heads' at this most wonderful little day care! I wish i could back in time when 'school was FUN and things were simple' and the teacher REALLY CARED about her...oh how I wish I could go back into time and be with all those that made that such a wonderful time! THANK YOU for loving my little girl and taking such good care of her there! I didn't want to ever leave that time period!

Then Mariah turned 3 years old and life took me on my new ADVOCACY JOURNEY to a nice little school that was just 3 blocks from our house and was pretty much just for children with Special Needs and brothers and sisters. She started going there almost the day she turned 3 years old, because that's the age children with special needs are FUNDED thru the Department of Education to start attending 'real' school. The name of this little school was UCP, she attended here till she turned 4 years old. Then I felt it was time to move her to the elementary school that her older brother was in Kindergaten at...this school was considered 'her neighborhood school'...a school where she would attend if she DIDN'T have a 'disability'...*Disabled - I HATE this word to identify someone! People are not broken...to me that's what the word disabled means! A DISABALED car on the side of the road is a broken down car!! Why why why do we call people 'broken'?

So Mariah has been going to the same school for 6 years now and attending their After School Care Program for 6 years also!!! Having her in the After School Care Program was 'my respite'...it was A GREAT PLACE for her to be to make even more friends at school!! She does have alot of people that like her at school, friends...and friendships...they SHOW THEIR TRUE COLORS if they really are your friends over time...I pray Mariah will always be surrounded with the nicest of friends that will always be there to help and protect her! INCLUSION WORKS IF EVERYONE ALLOWS IT!

This week was her last day going to the After School Care Program because of our own family BUDGET CUTS that we are experiencing with our household income...everyone is being affected by the economy today and well...my husband has never really understood why I kept her in that program for as long as I have...he did not like paying for it each month all those years! It was a bargain for Child Care for sure! Why did I keep her going to After School Care Program for so long?...because it's a SAFE place to be, she made and has lots more friends on campus, she was competely accepted and LOVED by many! She was kept busy and they ran around outside playing! I would pick her up anywhere between 2:45-4:45PM depending on which day of the week is was and what activity was on her agenda! She keeps me busy!

For Mariah to not go to Aftercare right now, is a sign that she is growing up and maturing...I have her so busy 3 days a week with her FUN STUFF she enjoys going to dance, horse riding, Brownies and let's not forget the 3 THERAPIES she still needs for her Handwriting, her Speech and for Physical Therapy...she has been receiving PRIVATE OT-PT-ST since she was just 4 months old without ever a STOP in services! Amazing I have been taking her to therapies for 10 YEARS now! Amazing!!! I used to take her 3 times a week when she was a little baby, then 2 times a week for 3 therapies. Once she started 'big girl school'-Kindergarten, I cut it down to one time per week with all 3 therapies plus I have always had her riding a horse since she was 2 YEARS OLD! She has been up on a horse EVERY WEEK for 8 years now too! OMG...I have been one busy 'therapy mom' over the past 10 years with her!...and loving every moment I have with her! I am one lucky and BLESSED MOMMIE! I love my little girl so much and taking her here and there and wherever she needs me to take her...I will take her to the moon if she needed me to!

So...with her now not attending the After School Care Program she gets to RIDE THE BUS HOME NOW!!! She is so happy to NOT be in Aftercare! We have so many things to do already anyway and now I will be bringing her home do get her READING ABILITIES back up to speed and to allow her more time with her favorite COMPUTER READING & PHONICS PROGRAMS this is something I have always done as her own HOMESCHOOL PIECE - for her life time of learning! MARIAH LOVES BOOKS AND READING!! Last year in 2nd grade she was on a 1.5 reading level and now I am discovering she isn't and hasn't been getting much in the way of READING INTERVENTIONS! *Do you think this upsets me? *Don't get the momma tiger upset!

She is so happy to be coming home ON THE BUS now, she has more time to relax and do what she wants and allows me more time to get her ready for whatever 'activity' we have planned and are doing that day!

Her new ride home bus driver bought 3 boxes of GIRL SCOUT COOKIES yesterday and then today she bought 3 more boxes! Mariah was very excited to sell them to her! The afternoon bus drivers are MORE FRIENDLY and actually TALK to me! What a switch in people! What's with people today that they don't talk, smile or be a basic friendly with others?! I don't get people that can't be FRIENDLY and at least say HI once in awhile...how hare is it really to BE NICE AND SAY HI to people?!

Mariah gets to now RIDE THE BUS HOME because she is no longer going to the Aftercare Program...she is SO HAPPY THIS WEEK!!

What does she want to do now that she gets to come home on the bus?...relaxin in front of the TV first thing with a snack! Of course!! Mariah...you go girl...you deserve your little snack and TV break! I am so proud of you!

The Sky's the Limit for my little girl!!

Long weekends...

Half day of school on Thursday, no school on Friday or Monday...what can we do with all those days off? Get things put away and declutter of course!!

Dad took the 'photo studio' up to the classy pet resort and vet clinic in Boca hoping to drum up some photography work...hope things work out as this is our normal slow time for any work each year, but now with the economy the way it is...it's a bad time for any of us!

My son Mark spent the entire day yesterday at our friends house down the street helping them redo their sons bedroom and switching out his bedroom funiture and then was invited for a sleep-over...haven't heard from him yet today...I know he is having a good time eating at their house because she cooks good food all the time and invites us all the time over for 'food'! yummm...we love her cooking!

My daughter is watching Madagascar for the 3rd time, I hear her singing the songs with more clarity each time...she laughs out loud over certain scenes..she loves this movie! Time to get her outside on the trampoline or playing hop-scotch or something to get her body "movin movin"...like the song says!!

...as for me and what to do over the long weekend? I am still putting "things away" from the Holidays! Being out of State the entire first week in Jan has put me behind in cleaning up after the Holidays! I am still sorting out and repacking the Christmas decorations for next year...purging decorations that I just don't need to store all year long anymore! Amazing how much 'pretty stuff' we collect over the years all in the name of decorating for the Holidays! I have a tiny house with too much stuff! My husband would love for me to get rid of everything...but I can't...I won't...and I don't need to...but I do need to cut down and keep only what we really need. So I am trying...trying to get rid of the excess stuff that is too much to store anymore. I am feeling good about what I have accomplished so far but know I still have alot to do with continuing to purge and cut down on collecting. Please someone give me some praise for what has been accomplished so far...it didn't happen overnight or during a long weekend...it is years of 'collecting'...yes it's a big job! I am determined to accomplish alot of purging of 'stuff' this year...if that sounds like a resolution..than so be it...it's a good one for me!

There is a chill in the air (65 degrees) which makes it great to turn off our AC and cut down on our electric bill this time of year...letting the fresh air in and in the mood for SPRING CLEANING early! ...or would that be called WINTER CLEANING...is it because its the beginning of a New Year?

....now need to tackle those PAPER PILES!! I need to redo my entire office space that is overflowing again...I never got that bookcase that we were looking at 2 months ago...I need to get organized and declutter so I can think again with fresh ideas!

Lucy in the Sky with Gramma

Lucy, our beloved rescue dog, a little black Schnauzer passed away yesterday on 1.13.09. She has been with us since 6.30.07. Mariah and I found her on the busy street near our house on a hot summer day. There was a lot of construction going on during that time and here was this little black dog that was darting in and out of the traffic and looked like she had been rolled a few times because she was missing a lot of her fur on her back...she looked bad when we found her and I wasn't sure how badly she was hurt. She was given a good bath in the front yard and that's where I looked her over real good...she seemed to look fine other than being more than exhausted and lost.

On the TV was playing I LOVE LUCY when I brought her home, hence her new name...LUCY. She actually seemed to be saying to all of us, "Thank you for taking me in...I was so tired!"...she didn't eat for about 3 days and just slept! Took her to the vet and had her checked out, the doctor seemed to think she was ok other than her loss of hair on her back. He didn't see any broken bones or injuries, we estimated her age to be 10 or more years old because of the condition of her teeth. She was old, but that was ok with all of us...she needed someone to take care of her and 'she found her way to us'...Mariah keeps saying she's, "my dog"...so Lucy was always been Mariah's dog...

I tried for about 4 months to find Lucy's 'humans'...she was listed on http://www.petfinder.com/ for a long time and I had put out over 10 flyers around the area replacing them once they were weathered...I really tried to find her 'parents'...but after 4 months...it was time to take her back to the vet for a check up and to get all her shots up to date. That was the day I bought her a new red collar and a new red leash...she had a new rabies tag and I ordered one of those red heart plastic 'name tags' with her name, Lucy on it with my name and phone number...to me that was the day we officially adopted her! Lucy was now ours and she found us and her new forever home! Lucy needed to go to the groomers every once in awhile, because I believe she was a Schnauzer and she always looked better after being trimmed like a Schnauzer.

Lucy was a very sweet and loving dog...she was no trouble...she wasn't a hard to handle dog. She didn't have good eyesight or good hearing...but she sure did have a good sense of smell..she always knew when we were eating and food was around...she did have some pretty bad dining room manners which we all worked on and taught her how to wait till after dinner and she would get some left overs and lick the plates. She must have been living on the streets eating whatever she found for so long, because she preferred people food over dog food.

All of us accepted Lucy just as she was and enjoyed having her around. She slept alot and would get up when someone would open the front door...she enjoyed hanging out in the front yard for longer than just to go out to do her business. She was happy living with us.

We told people that this was her 'nursing home' and that she was living out her last days with a family that loved her. Mariah took it upon herself to 'train her'...taking her for walks around the back yard, sometimes for longer than Lucy really wanted to be led around on her new red leash. Mariah really enjoyed being 'the trainer' to Lucy and even would pick her up and carry her around when really she was too big to be picked up and carried by anyone. Lucy would let Mariah do whatever...they were good for each other. Lucy had Mariah and Mariah had Lucy!

In the last 3 months we all started noticing Lucy loosing weight and her fur started falling out...her hind legs started to wobble when she walked and she started having a much harder time getting up and going down the one little front and back door step. Lucy was failing and we knew her time would be soon. Jim and I discussed which one of us wanted to take her to the vet...not something anyone ever wants to have to do but we knew it was getting to be 'that time'...

I started having talks with both my children, especially Mariah to prepare her for when Lucy wouldn't be with us anymore. We would tell her that Lucy is getting very old and that one day she would be going to heaven to be with PaPa and PaPa Bird and Mimi & Molly. She gave me some funny looks, and she understood because she knows that PaPa and her two favorite Guinea Pigs, Mimi & Molly were in heaven.

After coming home from gramma Elizabeth's funeral the other day, I told her that one day soon that Lucy would be also with Gramma. Mariah was ok with that and said, "Lucy's old, we'll get a new dog"...Jim and I had to laugh because we just wanted to help our daughter move on with the idea that soon Lucy would be going to Doggie Heaven...our conversation wasn't at all about getting a 'new dog'...we're not in a hurry to get a NEW DOG, but certainly if the right little PAP Princess came along we (I) would jump for joy!!...we have enough pets around here to keep us busy and one less for a little bit will be a good thing! *For me anyway...since 'mom' is usually the one that is 'the main caregiver' to ALL our fur/fin/feathered/shelled family members!!

So Lucy passed away just 13 days after Gramma, now my mother-in-law has Lucy with her! We had a small funeral in the back yard and each said something nice that we remembered about Lucy...we all enjoyed Lucy for the year and a half she lived with us. Bringing her home and rescuing her from the construction traffic that we found her in was a good decision. We will miss her but more importantly...we know we did a good thing by taking her in and allowing her to live her last days with a family that really loved her and cared for her.

Lucy we love you and will miss you!

Mariah will miss you the most...I bought her a new little (teeny tiny)frog for our little 'frog tank'...that's Mariah's 'new pet'...a little tiny white Africian Frog that lives in a fish tank! And to things off...someone on the eve of Lucy passing...called us at 10:30PM and asked if we had room for a 'rescue' TURTLE...of course we are set up for 'helping' out...turns out this thing is BIG...as BIG as our 10 pound Land Tortoise Olivia!! So now we have added a 3rd turtle to our family of 'pond turtles'...

Lucy in the skies with Diamonds keeps ringing thru my mind when I think of our LUCY....will miss you Lucy girl!!!

So tired...

Being on the road for a week and attending my mother-in-laws funeral has taken the energy out of me, I'm having a hard time getting back into the swing of things now that we are back home. We have been back 3 days now, both my children are getting back into the routine of 'going to school' and getting caught up with what they missed last week. Mariah has been out of school for 4 weeks because she was out the week before Christmas break because both her and I were sick. Today is Tuesday, therapy day for my daughter...each week she receives OT-PT & ST at Kids SPOT, she loves going there, they really make her 'work' on improving her skills. I like meeting and talking with the different parents I meet when I am in the waiting room.

Happy New Year?

Happy New Year? Jan. 1st, 2009
Today my mother-in-law died, at 10:30am...she waited for the first day of 2009! What a sad day for us today to loose the best mother-in-law anyone could ever wish or dream for! Elizabeth you will be much thought of daily and missed terribly! I love you!

She was an amazing woman! Loved the Arts, she was an accomplished Artist and Musician...she inspired and taught so many over the years. She had a strong faith in God...she made me feel loved and the sense of humor she had was FUNNY...boy could we ham it up and laugh so much together, she sure could get me laughing and crying at the same time on many occassions! She always appreciated my humor and 'got it'...I will so miss being able to call her up and talk and laugh with her! Mom...I'm going to miss you so much! Thank you for being the best mother-in-law I could have ever dreamed for!