What a great concert!

It was fantastic!!!! Of course, did you expect anything less? You know a band has staying power when the fans range in age from 10 to 70. Played some new stuff and most of their old, including solo stuff. Of course the old fav's were by and far the most popular. The concert ended with Take It Easy and one of the best live versions of Desperado I've heard. Had me in tears. And just as a side note, that was the first time in over a year that Hubby and I have been out together, with NO kids!!!!! Man I'd forgotten how much fun adult time was.

As for other ramblings, we have been approved for home care funding. Which means that we will be reimbursed for any monies paid out to workers for so many hours covered. We applied for 8. Not that we will get 8, but hey don't know if you don't try, right?! So how does this help? Well now we can hire someone to take Kenny swimming on Thursday nights, maybe have some respite care so Hubby and I can go out for some adult time together, or hire a therapist to work with Kenny one on one. Any of the above options would work right now. He still isn't fully recovered from whatever the damn bug was that he caught. So extra whinny and clingy, which makes it difficult to get stuff done.

Now on to more fun things, we leave tomorrow for Columbus!!! It's gonna be a blast! Water park, Ohio State Fair, plus other fun and exciting stuff to keep all 4 little munchkins busy. Oh wait, forgot about the beer making for the older kids, so exciting stuff for all 6 kids! I should be packing and cleaning, but here I sit. Man I'm lazy! Laundry to do, stuff to put away, shopping for snack foods. The list goes on. Why does packing for trips have to be so time consuming and feel more like work. Blah, no wonder people need a vacation from getting ready for and unpacking from vacations. Here is one time I really wish we were filthy rich, so no packing needed, just buy what we need! What a concept. Blah, back to real life.

Today is the Day! And other ramblings.

We go to the Eagles concert tonight!!! Air Canada Center, Toronto ON at 8 pm I will be singing right along with the Eagles!!!!! Can't wait!!!

Both kidlets are sick. Kenny now has a horrible sore throat and a bad throaty cough, with a fever of around 101 F. Boogabutt started to puke yesterday. Thank goodness she is now old enough to puke in a bucket rather than all over everything. Although she didn't make the first round and decorated the carpet in the front entrance. I'm waiting until the Dr's opens so I can get Kenny in. I don't think Maddy needs to be seen yet. Crossing fingers that she will get better on her own.

On a side note, he keeps on referring to a beaver in his throat. Guess it's better to have a beaver than a crocodile, which is what he is constantly asking if I have!

Another positive note is we have an appointment today at 1 with a home worker. So even though we don't have an official diagnosis yet, he will still get home care PT/OT and they also teach parents on how to deal with specific problems and give suggestions on how to handle things. Cause obivously things aren't working for us now. He was in full melt-down mode the other day and we just could not get him settled. Once he 'goes' it's so hard to get him to focus to calm him down.

This is going to sound like a spoiled little shit, but I keep asking myself why? Why have I had two children with problems that aren't easily recongized. Why do both have to entail violent temper tantrums? Why am I being punished? I know that none of these questions can be answered or just don't have an answer, but I still ask.

Well my day is starting. Just got off the phone from the Dr and he now has an appointment for 3. Kind of works cause I have to pick up oldest sis to help Grandma baby sit tonight. Oh man this day is going to crawl by! And then on Sat we head to Columbus OH!!! We'd better enjoy cause this is it for the yr!

Now on too other things.

Got that out of my system. Well no, not really but I'll refrain from mentioning it again. At least for a few more minutes.

Anyhow the Duders is still sick. We're not sure what is wrong but he's still fighting some kind of stomach bug. Saturday started the runny poops and boy do I mean runny. Poor kid had an explosion at a playground. Then again 3am Monday morning he was back to throwing up and diarrhea at the same time. No one can say that my child is not talented. I now have to try to get some kind of poop sample from him which hasn't been easy. He wants no part of pooping in a plastic container so I can package it up like the lab told me. Can't take it out of a diaper either. Not to mention that we are still using bum cream, trying to clear up the rash he got from the last round of diarrhea. Poor kid was in so much pain from that he was desperatlely trying to hold in his poop so I wouldn't have to wipe his butt. Not a pretty picture.

He'd better get better fast. We leave to go see Ms Bannon and Family in 12 days! Another thing I can't wait for!

And finally a quick update on how things are progressing. We got a phone call this afternoon from a worker involved with home OT/PT. I will have to call again tomorrow as she had already left the office by the time I was able to call her back. More help for Duders is a great thing.

And finally, because this has been bothering me, if you see a parent having difficulty with a child out in public, like an extreme temper tantrum, screaming etc, don't just stand there making rude faces or comments, go over and offer to help. Even if it is to just let her/him know that you understand and are not judging. Trust me, sometimes us parents (especially of Autistic children) could really use the support. Just my public service announcement for the day.

Less than a Week!!!!!!!!!

Oh man, oh man, oh man am I excited! I'm going to see the Eagles!!!!!! Honest and truly!!!! Best band of all time. In Toronto next Monday. And I'm going to be there!!!

Oh yeah, did I mention I'm going to a concert in Toronto? Just a small time band called the Eagles ;)

Oh boy.

Does anyone want to tell me why children, especially mine, seem to choose puking in the car a popular choice? Projectile at that. How so much can come out of one little mouth and go so far with so much force, I'll never know.

The Civic was the lucky recipient of Kenny's barf yesterday. His car seat, him, the seat, the floor, the back of the passenger seat. Fortunately no one was in the car with us. I was on the way down to the walk in clinic connected to his Dr but barely made it 5 minutes outside of home when he spewed. No way I could take the smell for another 20 minutes and had nothing with me to clean it up so we turned around and came home. Yuck is an understatement.

The daycare was the first to spot a problem. He was playing outside and just stopped running and laid down on the grass, got very pale, started shaking and was demanding water. They brought him inside and called me. By the time I got there, most of his colour had returned, and he had some energy back. But that disappeared fast. He got home and made it to the couch and stayed there for the afternoon. So not like Kenny.

Got him and his sister ready to go to the clinic, started driving and well, let the upchuck festival begin. He hasn't done anything since and is now happily playing with his sister. He's not up to the usual Kenny energy level, but is more active than yesterday, so I'm taking this as a sign that he is getting better. Hopefully he will sleep tonight, unlike last night (or should I say very early this morning). I think 3:30am is a little early for me to be rising. Especially when I just got to bed at midnight. Aargh I need a nap.

Now for something completely different. When I get the new garden weeded and get some kind of mulch down, along with the plastic border I will take pictures of the new and improved front yard. We have grass now (as patchy as it is) and of course the grass seed flowed into the garden and has sprouted there, where I don't want it. So now I get to try to get the grass out of the perennial garden, without harming the new plants that actually do belong. Fun stuff. I might try to replant some of the different kinds of flowers that I think should be moved. Being the fussy bee with an itch of course.

As for my veggie garden, if the Black Walnut tree doesn't kill everything we will have a good harvest of squash, zucchini, tomatoes, pumpkin and maybe potatoes. I'm not holding my breath for the carrots, they're not looking so hot. All well, next year I won't plant those next yr. Maybe something like lettuce or peas.

I should be outside right now with the kids. It's beautiful out. Not hot, no humidity, lots of sunshine. Hmmm, there's a plan. Kenny can take his trains outside and play there, Maddy can play in the wading pool, and I can pull weeds. Yippee! At least it's something right? Right? Bye!

Oops it has been a long time.

Well go figure, life got the best of me. How does one keep up with everything. I sure can't. I finally feel like something is caught up and then find that I'm now behind in 10 other things. Blah.

So a little update on me. It's not good and I'm pissed. I quit smoking back in October. October 3rd to be exact. Expected to gain some weight. But not 30 lbs and to top it off that has set off my diabetes. So now I am on insulin to try to get the numbers down. My family Dr figures that because I smoked for so long, and I have a family history of obesity, the quiting was enough to trigger my massive weight gain. So between insulin and now really trying to watch what I eat hopefully I will lose some weight. I hate this.

Now on to Kenny. We had a meeting in Arthur Childcare a couple of weeks ago (June 20) with almost everyone involved with his case. It was a very productive meeting and both Hubby and I are happy with what everyone is doing. My little man has so many people that really give a shit about him, and it shows. We have the Daycare staff including Mindy and his favourite teacher, Sarah. Then there is Lydia, who has observed and recommended and referred and is still working with trying to get him in full subsidy. Now we have Monica to come to our home and help with routines, sleep issues, handling temper tantrums and find help within the community we live in. And a new lady, Dawn, who has been up twice to observe Kenny and is going to work with him for Occupational Therapy relating to fine motor skills.

Not that you noticed but I left and now I'm back. How's that for quick eh. Bet you didn't even notice. Well go figure. What we had been trying to do to alleviate some stress on me isn't going to work. Damn it to hell. I should have figured that. It's going to be a long summer. We were trying to get both Kenny and Maddy into the Daycare under subsidy. As it turns out, we make way too much money (pardon the snorting in my diet Coke) and they no longer take medical reasons, even for short term. It was worth a shot I guess, but still disappointing.

One good thing that has happened is we finally have both kids in swimming lessons. Maddy can go in on her own. There are only two in her class so very easy on the teacher. Kenny is in Turtle which is for getting kids used to the water. Not a problem for him. He was jumping in like a pro, amazing even the seasoned teacher. Guess I should have done this much sooner.

Nothing else I can think of right now. Canada Day was spent at Conestogo Lake Conservation Area for swimming and a picnic, then down to MIL's for dinner. We bought a season's pass for all of Grand River Conservation Areas (there are 12 total parks) and we hope to get to all of them this summer. Lots of trails, swimming, camping..... Hopefully we will utilize it to the fullest.

Have a good one all. Hopefully see you sooner!