End of a 3-Day Weekend

Today was a good cap to a longer than usual weekend, in which Friday turned out to be our day to lounge in pajama splendor, not leaving the house at all day, Saturday change up for chores and errands, and today a nice balance of slow and easy and to-do items checked off.

We finished up our 2-week participation in the Kinesiology's Gamified activity program by reporting in person to redo our initial tests and provide feedback. James had soured on this activity and he asked for Doritos afterwards, to which I agreed. Negotiations! Progress!

James also did his laundry, with minimal prompting, and emptied his garbage on his own initiative. We talked a bit about music and family. He talked the cats and petted Sassy when she went up to him and meowed.

This does not sound like much, but after the last several years it's more than a little bit of heaven. 

Saturday Morning Life Snippet

James and I both slept in this morning. Yesterday was ... um challenging. TWO car fails. School bus fu. Work. It was looking for a while that my planned evening out in SF to attend a reunion of the KFOG morning show was going to go down in flames too.

But thanks to some awesome co-workers and my mom, who is awesome too ... plus a good mechanic and respite person with strangely absent traffic ALL the way down to West Oakland (not even on 80 in Berkeley, and I can't remember the last time that happened at 5:30 PM on a weekday) and insane luck of someone pulling out of a parking space in front of me as soon as I entered the BART lot ... I made it! And it was so much fun. I flagged my first Lyft ride and shared with two other Fogheads, who immediately felt like old friends.

Photo courtesy of Renee and Irish Greg's PopUP

So this morning, I am enjoying being where I am. I played with the cat, made scones, watered the plants, sat in the sun with my morning coffee and enjoyed it being the weekend, which includes chatting with James when he got up. He is puzzled at this thing called 10@10, which is grooving from my laptop, but willing to humour me. It's fun to remember who I was and to be a bit of the person again with James. It's fun to remember a time when life was easier and bring that a bit into the present.

Airport Run

"Can we go somewhere?" is a common James question these days.

On early evenings like tonight, this is still our go-to spot:

For those of you at home who answered "Airport" - you win!

Santa Rosa still has a pretty sleepy little airport, despite recent growth. The REACH helicopters continue to be fascinating. The blinking blue and red lights are fun, and when the sun goes down, the colours in the sky and surroundings are magnificent.

We watch the planes take off and wonder where they are going. We wave them goodbye and tell them we hope they have a good trip. It feels like our family airport.

Then we take the back roads for the short trip home.

Way Cold

We had an arctic chaser to our latest Pineapple Express. The watering can, wheel barrow, and assorted pots and jars turned from rainwater collectors to ice machines.

James jumps around excitedly as we bustle about on our morning chores: "Look at the little snow! It's like feathers, Mother!"

Where We Live

I'll never get tired of turning a corner and finding things like this:

... and that's just this week. We live in a wonderful part of the world. I am glad we can share this with our kids.

Special Exposure / Wordless Weds: Twighlight

I took this photo earlier this month. We were at a special event at our local air museum. Jazz music floated on the breeze at sunset, as we saluted days gone by.

James is wearing my scarf - he looks like a junior aviator.


For more images from the heart and to share some of yours,
visit Special Exposure Wednesday at 5 Minutes for Special Needs.






               and ... Wordless Wednesday

Attitude on a Monday Morning

I am trying, trying, trying to wake up and find my get up and go this morning; from behind James' bedroom door I can hear him yelling happily "Yahoo! Wahoo! Hooray!!"

Forget the coffee, I want some of what he's got.

The Power of Blankets

Every since he was old enough to track familiar things, James has been attached to his Bear Blanket. It was a hand-me-down gift from a cousin. What a wonderful gift it's been!

That Bear Blanket has seen Disneyland, ER rooms up and down the state, traveled through Oregon and Washington and visited the MIND Institute at UC Davis. It has soothed him through many an illness and helped him go to sleep at night at and away from home. It must always be positioned just so, with the red border tucked under his chin at bedtime.

While James does not carry his Bear Blanket around as much as Linus did his, he does like to wrap it around his head, and sometimes drape a chosen person with it for a big hug session.

I know most 8 year-olds don't carry their blankets around anymore. But really, when I see him smile like this, I just don't care.

And you know what? Blankets are awesome. The people behind Project Linus know that. We've made a couple of fleece blankets from a kit for them. Check them out, and spread some comfort and cheer.

Special Exposure / Wordless Weds: Summer's Wane

Another slow and sunny afternoon at the Ranch. James' sister and I picked apples, and watched the sun go down. California is beautiful in the summer.

With school starting soon, and our routines in constant juggle mode, peaceful afternoons like this are much appreciated!


For more images from the heart and to share some of yours,
visit Special Exposure Wednesday at 5 Minutes for Special Needs.






               and ... Wordless Wednesday

Catch-Up, With Links

First, I felt good reading this epilogue last week from Sunday. It helps restore my faith in humanity.

I wish I could find such follow-up for Paul Corby, but I can't. The best I can find is that he is still being denied a life-saving transplant because (in part), with his autism, he is perceived as less worthy to receive the organ donation and  transplant. He has now been turned down by both the University of Pennsylvania Health System and the Mayo Clinic. I am keeping Paul and his mom in my thoughts and prayers. I've had a taste of what it's like to not have access to the assistance needed to help a son. Here is a link to her petition at Change.org.

I still miss my uncle.

Saturday Sidekicks still rocks. I am sorry this coming Saturday will be the last for this session.

Don't just take my word for it, take a peek at the documentary.

We will get that paragraph on bats finished, we will!

The Tooth Fairy is taking hits to her Tooth Fund (big sister alone has had 4 in the past 4 months) ...


Meanwhile, out in the county, the ornamental plum trees are snowing pink, the Santa Rosa Plum has exploded into white, and the Bells or Ireland give us a heads-up to St. Patty's Day and Easter:

Tall Guy

Woah! James just tried on a new pair of long pants this morning. My "baby," at 7 years, can fit size 8-10 pants. And his legs are smaller proportions than his top.

See these sandals? The Tevas are size 10. I think his are size 3. When I bought them in March, they were at least 2 sizes too big. He fits them now. I am so not buying school shoes/tennis shoes until the rain's about to start.

This morning I measured my guy -- he's over 53" tall. That makes him 4' 5" tall+ and me rather blue. Where'd my Baby James go?

Howarth Park, about 3 months old

 Sorry, Honey -- Mom's prerogative!

SOOC: Summer Lightbrellas

Just looking through some of recent photos and these umbrellas caught my eye. They seemed to be filled with light, as well as making shade for those of us below. It's a perfect way to capture summer for me, SOOC:

I just wish I'd had an umbrella for this:

Linking up once more with Murrieta 365 for some SOOC show and share, where it's all straight-out-of-camera (SOOC).

                                                                 

Scenes By the Pool

Another hot summer afternoon, some more ours enjoyed at the pool. This time I am doing a little work, poolside, before diving in. I just took a break and a few pics with Photo Booth:

I miss the Sunday comics. Just saying ...

Now in ThermalVision!!

And now, back to work ... although technically, this is a break for me, because the kids are occupied on their own and unplugged.

I'd have taken pictures of the skywriters and their "Geico" messages formed in circles too, but they dissipated pretty quickly.

This is how I enjoy the Vineman, BTW. I think it's my new tradition. Pass me that iced tea, Dahling ...

Magic Marker Monday: Crayon People

James took all four crayons from his special library crayonbox and asked for some paper. Usually, he scribbles. Out of the blue, out popped these little guys:

No hesitation, and he was completely happy when they were done. "Here, mommy, this is for you," he said. This was quickly followed up with a request for tape. Where did he display it? In his room, where we can enjoy it together.

Wow, James -- just wow. It's these steady little breakthroughs of yours that make bright sunshine in my life.


For more great masterpieces or to share some of your own, visit
 5 Minutes for Special Needs for more Magic Marker Monday.

                               

SOOC Weekend: Illusionfish

I really like this photo I took of a fish on our recent trip to the UC Davis Bodega Marine Lab.

The reflections of light off the huge tanks and the entry hall behind me made it look like the fish was swimming from the water into the air, near the ceiling, and above the rolling hills outside.

Linking up again with Murrieta 365 for some SOOC show and share, where it's all straight-out-of-camera (SOOC).

                                                                 

Blur of Fun

Sometimes, James can be hard to catch in a picture. He moves too quickly, limbs and joints moving fluidly, feet and toes hopping and leaping, hands flapping. In Kindergarten, they called him Peter Pan, because he got so lost in the fun that there was no way to keep him still.

                    

Yet James can sit still for things that interest him. He can focus on a task or object for periods of time. He had a big breakthrough in Kindergarten by being able to finally sit cross-legged on the floor and join the class for circle time for the whole session. Over his year in First Grade, he increased the time he could sit and stay focused on a task during break-out groups for reading and writing.

It still makes me happy to see him enjoying life, even if it makes it tough for me to get it on camera.

Giving Our Spirits a Lift

James and I set out a little earlier than usual for summer school this morning. This weekend a big hot air balloon show is happening in our town, and last year we stumbled on the test launch the morning before the main event and were treated to the sight of many beautiful and colourful ascensions.

This year, we caught the last two balloons to lift off. I am calling them the Panda ...

... and the Purple Thing (which James calls the Cat):

James was so excited, because we could see balloons floating in the sky on our way to school. He talked all the way about seeing the balloons and how they were following him to school. It was very cute.

After all the stress from end of February through last week's illnesses, we needed a lift to our spirits!