My Hero

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Due to my rapidly increasing forgetfulness - last night I left a burner on.  We'd had spaghetti and I served up the plates at the stove.  I scooped out nearly all the sauce and left a plastic spoon in the pan.  There was a baking pan on the burner in front of it - so I didn't notice the burner was still on.  At about 8pm while we were reading scriptures Bob commented that something smelled like it was burning.  I thought that was really odd - since Bob has essentially no sense of smell - and I couldn't smell anything.  What was even more odd - earlier in the day I was making lunch and had the random thought that we hadn't gone over our family evacuation plan in a while.  So I shouted out to everyone scattered in the house - what would you do if the fire alarms went off right now?  The answers were varied - so we reviewed what to do if there was a fire.

About 2am - my Buddy came in our room to tell me the burner was on.  He'd gotten up and as he walked down the hall - caught just the right angle of the blue glow.  The last of the sauce was a crisp wafer and the spoon was beginning to melt.  What a blessing and a miracle that we were protected and that Buddy had the presence of mind to alert us.  The Lord was truly watching out for us and keeping us safe.  I am so humbly grateful!

Ka-Powie!

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At some point both of my boys have had black eyes - and now I can officially say my daughter has too!  Bless her heart!  I got a call from her school - it was her PE coach saying she'd been running and she collided with another girl and landed hard on her face.  [pausing . . .  she is an AWESOME runner!  Her times blow me away!  She must have inherited that running gene my sister had.  It totally skipped me!  Kbugs is FAST!!!!]  They put ice on her eye but could tell it was swollen and likely to bruise.  My poor baby!  It doesn't matter how old the kids are . . . when they get hurt my instinct is to go get them and love on them like a baby - which doesn't work too well for them - especially at jr. high!  :o)  

So she's been walking around w a black eye.  After about a week and a half it's almost gone now.  I tried to help her think of some awesome top secret action story for her to explain how she got it.  She humors me and just smiles and laughs . . . ("Just smile and wave boys . . . just smile and wave!"  [Madagascar movie quote])  She's such a trooper!

Decisions.

Click here: Good . . . Better . . . Best

Red Hair

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It's because of spaghetti.  Seriously.  I'm not kidding.  Ok - so scientifically they haven't proved it yet - but statistically - there's no way it could be anything else.  Food scientists are actually researching it.  Genetics may come into play somewhere . . . 

When I was a kid I could not get enough spaghetti or spaghettios w meatballs . . . mmmmmmm.  Deepest apologies to my family.  Now I've managed to step it up a notch with this bad boy recipe.  Haven't made it in a while . . . but I just may now.  It's all things heavenly in one.  

Enjoy - and may your hair turn red!

PS - You know what CTR stands for right?????  (Choose the Redhead!)  :o) heh heh heh!

Spaghetti Casserole

8 oz cream cheese
1 c sour cream
1 lb hamburger
2 jars spaghetti sauce (or 1 1/2)
1 pkg spaghetti noodles - cooked
1 c mozzarella cheese (or just throw handfuls of cheese on it like I do.)

Brown burger and add spg sauce. Simmer 10 min. In bowl combine cream cheese, sour cream and mix till smooth. Layer noodles, sauce, cheese noodles, sauce, mozzarella. Bake at 350 for 1 hour covered. Serves at least 5. 

Rainy Day

WAKE UP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ok - so Monday it took everything in me to get out of bed to go to the gym.  I stayed up waaaaay too late on Sunday night - trying to prepare for the week - and boy did I pay in the morning.  Thank goodness for Bob.  He always walks me out to the car and tells me I can do it!  :o)  Love him!  

Anyway - I pull up to the gym - and I think to myself . . . hmmmm. . . odd . . . all those people milling about at 5 AM!!!!!!!!  There were about 20 of us gathered at the door - waiting for the poor snoozing kid who had no idea his alarm was failing him miserably.  So for about 20 minutes I enjoyed breathing some fresh early morning air until there was really no time left to workout - so I hopped back into my car and headed home.  Some people were rather cranky about it . . . but all I could think about was the poor kid and the minor heart attack he was going to have when he looked at his clock and realized his morning had already gone horribly wrong before he even woke up.  UGH!!!!  I hate that feeling.  It's happened one or two times before to me.

I actually really missed working out that morning.  The day wasn't the same.  It turned out to be a really difficult day as it was and I sure could have used that boost.  But the good thing is - the gym guy woke up on time this morning - and I'm back in the saddle again!  Woohooo!  

Taking the morning back!!! Woop woop!

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5:00 AM is all mine!!!!!  No meetings, lessons, schedules, activities, phone calls, taxi service, lesson plans, etc!!!!  Wooohooooo!!!!!!!  4 days in a row!  Why didn't I think of this sooner?!?!?!  I LOVE IT!!!  What a morning rush!

He is always there.

Isn't it amazing?  That all we have to do is reach up for his hand.  It's there . . . waiting - whenever we feel overwhelmed, a little weak on faith or like we're sinking.  As Isaiah always says - His hand is stretched out still.  It's not that we have to wait for Him to reach for us . . . the Savior is already there.  He is just waiting for us to take his hand so he can lift us up.  

I love the scriptures!

What a gorgeous day!

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After yesterday's mild wind and all day rain from Ike - it's almost wrong to have such a gorgeously beautiful day here.  Just knowing what so many are going through - not so far away . . .   There are many many shelters open in our area and apparently it will be some time before people from the Galveston area head home.  Our prayers are certainly with them.

Everything was cancelled yesterday - stake meetings, kids activities, and other commitments - in anticipation of the storm.  We hunkered down here at home and I worked all day!  My biggest task was putting together books from the music therapist who visits my classroom each week.  They are wonderful resources and I'd been anxious to complete them prior to her actually coming and using them.  But literally - I SAT ALL DAY!!!!  I didn't even realize - even though Bob kept walking by saying "Man - you've been sitting there working ALL DAY!"  I guess I didn't really process that until I went to move around midnight and realized my eyeballs were about to fall out and I no longer bent the way I was supposed to!  Who knew sitting could be so painful?!?!?!  My back is in bad shape today.  That'll learn me a lesson!  ;o)  But still - I got a ton done - and the majority of the books are complete!  Hooray!

The kiddos are happy and doing great.  Kbugs had orchestra tryouts and is 2nd chair 1st violin.  Woowoo!  Go Kbugs!!!!  She's starting speech club soon too which will be really fun for her.  My Buddy is so excited to be taking guitar lessons as part of the after school program at his school.  He has wowed everyone with his ability to play.  He is so anxious for baseball season to start up again.  It's going to be a looooong winter waiting!  Buddy loves his Spanish class too.  It's fun to hear him speaking Spanish.  Cowboy T is just a natural at the piano and has been making up songs and serenading us with new variations quite often.  In one day he can go from cowboy to scientist, to pole vaulter, basketball star, musician, artist, inventor, builder, to chef and on and on and on.  It's so fun to watch them develop their many different talents.  I just LOVE being their Mom!!!!!!  It rocks!!!

Too Much Soup!!!

As you can tell from the picture - this was a few years ago.  We had worked outside all day on the yard - and the kids were hungry and tired.  Just as Bob was about to take a picture - one of the kids asked what was for dinner.  Bob replied "Soup!" (which in all fairness - we'd had just about every night that week!)  The result is priceless.  I guess they just couldn't take it one more night.  Poor things!  ;o)

(I just have no idea where they get such flair for drama!  Honestly!)

Halloween!!!!

Man!  I'm toast!!!!  My kids are old enough to reach the mailbox.  Usually I chucked all those catalogs that would come - you know - the ones with all the costumes in them.  It was so easy!  They didn't even know they existed.  Then - being one of those particularly uncreative mom's - I would spend the build up to Halloween convincing them to wear their red pajamas and just be a red gumdrop - or something terribly effortless.  

In a stroke of genius - when I was just a toddler - my Mom would make my sisters and I dress up as bunny rabbits and give us un-naturally giant carrots to munch on as we went trick-or-treating!  Yeah - guess who wasn't hungry by the end of trick or treating?!?!?!  I can't believe I fell for that!  (three years in a row!)

Anyway - the jig is up!  They now know there is more to Halloween then red pajamas - or taping Smarties to your pants (Smarty pants!  Get it!!!!  Hilarity at it's best - you gotta admit it!)  They found the catalog and have poured over and over it.  Last I heard - we have a trio of super heroes in the house.  Supergirl, Flash, Indiana Jones, Catwoman, Batman, a cowboy, a fighter pilot - you name it - I've heard it!  Honestly - it's kind of fun hearing their excitement.  But wishes and reality - well . . . we shall see . . . 

When I heard Bob looking at the his and her pirate costumes . . . well - let's just say - the catalog just might mysteriously disappear!  Muwahahahahaaa!!!!  Aaaaargggghhhh matey!

Back in the Swing!

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Typically I don't post on this blog about school.  I can't share much because of confidentiality stuff but I did want to say that so far I'm having a good year!  Yea!  I have 8 students in the morning.  7 boys and 1 precious little girl!  The majority of my students have autism - although I also have student's with downs syndrome, mental retardation, cerebral palsy, and other (as of yet) non-diagnosed disabilities.  They are all non-verbal in my morning class.  They are also all 3 years old.  Two of them just barely turned three a few weeks ago.   Because of their age - we do A LOT of redirection and basic skills - but that's how they learn the routines and what it's like to be in school.  Sometimes the going is slow - but it's all good.

My afternoon class is a completely different mix.  It is SO FUN!!!!  I have 6 little boys.  They are all 4 years old and 4 out of the 6 have some verbal abilities in varying degrees.  In fact one of them I am (reluctantly - but still urgently) trying to move out of my class - as he is much too high cognitively - but it's been a real treat having him in there for a little while at least.  

I am starting with two aides this year!  Yea!  One of them speaks Spanish (hooray!) and the other one was with me last year too.  They are really great!  I enjoy working with them.  I am so lucky!  They both work really hard.  It was kind of tough for us to start back up and get going with a new year - but I think we've found our groove and are doing a-ok.  

I wish I could share all the cute melt-your-heart stories and the many small amazing accomplishments that are huge enormous moments for our class.  There are times when I'm convinced that winning the lottery wouldn't be as exciting as when one of them learns how to sip a straw after months of trying - or finally says a word, signs their first sign, walks up the steps by themselves, holds a spoon by themselves, or figures out how to balance and hold their cafeteria tray.  Such little things that just make it all worth it!  As challenging as it can be at times - the moments of accomplishment are monumental in comparison.