Rude Cactus, You’re My Hero…

…spoken like Cameron in Ferris Bueler’s Day Off…

You have to see this.

Have you stopped laughing yet? Yeah, me neither. My sides are beginning to hurt!

Things I Love Thursday: Kiddos Edition

Big huge ups, yet again, go out to weaker-vessel for such a faboo idea. After yesterday, I could use a little lovin’.

If you haven’t already figured out, I love my kids. They are the most awesome human beings in my universe, and I’m awed and humbled every single day by them. I’m also driven abso-freakin-lutely bonkers by them on a daily basis, so I guess it all evens out.

So this is for them. And for me, to remind me in those moments when I want to run screaming from my house to a white sandy beach, rolling waves, and a margarita.

1. The smell of Scamp’s head after he has had a bath and washed his hair, using Johnson & Johnson’s Lavender Shampoo.

Oh, my goodness…this is the grown up version of when I used to smell his sweet little baby head when he was a newborn. Since my Scamp hates taking baths and the ritual washing of hair about as much as his brother hates getting shots this doesn’t happen as often as I would like. I have to cheat by using soap so he doesn’t figure it out; if he sees me getting the shampoo down, he tries to scramble out of the tub. So when I’m able to align planets and this happens, all is right with the world on so many levels.

2. When Spiff does what I ask, without reminders and without me having to resort to yelling at him.

Part of the problem with this is it’s hard to tell where the Asperger’s ends and the defiant child begins. On mornings when Spiff gets it all done, instead of dancing around and wasting time, the day starts out calm and serene. Since that, on average, occurs once a month, the rest of the month consists of whining, cajoling, yelling, and punishments. I’m sure many of you can relate. But, oh, when it clicks, nirvana is in sight.

3. When my boys comfort me and bring me their comfies (comforters) to snuggle on the sofa or when one of us is sick.

The cutest sight in the entire world is a child dragging a comforter that is two sizes too big behind him and trying to lovingly place it on you while shoving you over so he can snuggle up too. Better than chicken soup.

4. Hearing Scamp sing “Nanny Nanny Boo-Boo, You Can’t Catch Meeeee!”

Oh my gosh, once you overlook just how mean he is truly being, it sounds so cute!!!

5. Listening to Spiff spin his Imaginary World Tales (in small doses)

   Given the opportunity, Spiff would regale all and sundry with his tales of imaginary worlds he cooks up. Truthfully, these stories can be really cool; with all kinds of intricacies and thought put into them. If he wasn’t growing up to be a paleontologist, he’d make an awesome writer.

6. Little Feat…no, I mean FEET.

My son’s feet when they are small, are the cutest feet on the planet. When I see them, I’m compelled to smooch them and tickle them and admire them. They really are wicked cute.

So, these are a few of my favorite things!!! What are yours?

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My hubby has said he will bring his laptop on our vacation so I don’t go through blog withdrawal, and can post during the trip. So, c’mon everyone! ROAD TRIP!!!!

(don’t forget the swimsuit and water wings!!!)

Extreme Bulldozer: Bedroom Edition

My kids have too many toys. Here’s the proof:

I decided to clean up Scamp’s room. This is before:

And this is after:

That should last until the kids get home from school. Good thing I took a photo of it and recorded it for posterity, huh?

Zone Waiver Not Approved

The principal of the school we want to send Spiff to has not approved our zone waiver. Apparently my child has to become a behavioral problem in this county before one of those can be used. The Principals (sounds so mafia-like, doesn’t it?) of the three middle schools in my area have this little agreement that since we are so overcrowded in this county, they will not approve any waivers. Yet, this is the same county that allows students of employed teachers to go to any school they want their child to attend. Hrumph!

Now, don’t get me wrong here. I’m not against “employee benefits”. I’m all for it. So much so it looks like I will probably have to apply for a job in the school system so I can take advantage of that “little perk”. (I probably shouldn’t put that on my application or answer any questions they may ask with that answer, huh?) It’s just that I researched doing this because I was told I should do this by my IEP team, and anyone else that has worked with us, from the school on up to the county. To be told, flat out, no, and that the only way this would be approved is if my son became a behavioral problem in his zoned school just saddens me beyond belief.

I’ve applied for the McKay Scholarship and hopefully that will negate my fears if we are approved. In the mean time, I’m so stressed out because for the life of me I don’t understand why school systems are so reactive and not proactive (I know I’ve said that before, I guess it bears repeating?). I’m also confused as to why administrators are not very knowledgeable about the very students they are paid to oversee. The principal I spoke to today had no idea what Asperger’s Syndrome is. I’m sure there are classes they could take, doesn’t school systems make them attend classes or something? Is that even offered at the administrator level? I would hope it was, but I suspect it isn’t. He was clueless.

Needless to say, today has not been a good day. I need to table this and prepare for vacation (for my own sanity, believe it or not.). I made my list of things we need to pack, and now the hunting and gathering of those items begins. Wish me luck.

I’m hoping this will all turn out okay. I’m down, but I’m not defeated.

I’m in this for the long haul.

Total Washout Tuesday

Ever have one of those days that you wake up exhausted, and so far, no amount of caffiene you push into your body is fixing the problem, and you have so much you should be doing; but there are blogs to read and mail to check and so many other things that divert your attention, nothing probably will get done today?

Yeah, that the kind of day I’m having today. Care to join me?

Shoot!!! Now I Really AM an Hour Behind!

Daylight Savings Time never fails to screw me over. The first day, my kids are up wicked early, just to mess with my brain. (That and it starts on a Sunday. My kids were fitted with that chip that makes them oversleep and drag you-know-what on school mornings; but on the weekend arise at the butt-crack of dawn or earlier, slamming every door and cabinet in the house. Frustrating, no?)

So because I need to catch up on some badly needed sleep (and clean my house), I leave you with a quick recap of the past few days:

1. Friday was the day I decided to just go to the school I want Spiff to attend next year and start the waiver process there. (Which is apparently what I needed to do in the first place.) Can I just say that middle school boys sure love their fart jokes? As well as making noises like someone who is walking by them farted? Two things I noticed when I was making my way to administration’s offices: a.) The F-bomb is alive and well in the middle schools, and is liberally applied in many situations; and b.) Boys really like bodily functions and the noises they make. The second time they tried to “embarrass” me on my return trip to my car, I had to stop and point out to them they didn’t give me enough credit with that paltry noise they were trying to accuse me of making. They took the time to be embarrassed and shocked I was calling them out at their own game. Now, that’s respect.

2. Good thing I didn’t have to re-release the “burp-heard-’round-the-world.” Although, that would have upped my street cred immeasurably.
3. I’ve decided that principals can no longer take Fridays off. Gas prices prohibit this. Not to mention, we start spring break next week! Can’t it wait until then? Sheesh! (I’m kidding. Please, no hate mail.)
4. Ice Age: The Meltdown rocked my family’s socks. Borrow a kid and go see it today. (How’s that for a recommendation? Watch your back, Mr. Ebert!)
5. The ending on Baldur’s Gate: Dark Alliance I sucks. All that hard work, for that? I know, you’re trying to get me to buy Baldur’s Gate: Dark Alliance II, and you make a persuasive argument. But that last battle? The minions killed me more times that she did. And what up with the mechy things with the spinning blades of doom? Was shocked to see that kind of technonology in a dungeon. I’m jus’ sayin’.
6. While we’re discussing video games; it’s never a good idea the first full night of Daylight Savings Time to stay up until 3 a.m. playing a game on the PS2 with your husband and brother. Exhaustion + Computer-drawn breasts + not enough “armor” to cover them= one cranky sister and wife with the beginnings of a massive inferiority complex.
7. It was fun though.
8. Scamp FINALLY got back into the pool and swam of his own choosing!!! I’m hoping this fear of water thing is behind us, once and for all. Yay, Scamp!

This week we have to get ready for the family trip to Fort Lauderdale for Spring Break. There is sunscreen to be bought, toys to wrangle, batteries to set aside for the digital camera, (does your camera eat batteries like they are a constant snack? I can not turn on my camera for a week, turn it on to take one picture, and I have to put in new batteries. Boggles the mind, I tell you.) swimsuits to pack, and ziploc bags to have so we can bring home all the seashells we have to collect. We are so looking forward to this vacation, since last years we dealt with sick parents and kids before, during, and after the trip. Here’s hoping it is all out of our systems this year, and we can go enjoy ourselves.

Because, dammit, I see a crab cake in my future, and a cabana boy delivering it to me beachside! Oh, and a margarita wouldn’t go amiss either. Ok, maybe two…

Here’s to margarita wishes and crab cake dreams!!!