tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-64989413472077894972024-03-15T18:09:59.389-07:00Raising Reidand his big brother LukeCherihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08644571627468626304noreply@blogger.comBlogger198125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6498941347207789497.post-69838332095046895922012-12-27T20:06:00.000-08:002012-12-27T21:50:10.855-08:00Toys with Therapy Influence <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I am always mindful of things... toys, apps, books...whatever it should be that would not only entertain Reid but would also hold value in a therapeutic way for him. Not necessarily a get the most for my buck mentality... but more of a how can I sneak in strengthening his little muscles without him knowing it mentality... and this Christmas I think I hit the jackpot in the occupational therapy/toy department with one gift in particular. </span></center>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Reid asked Santa for Legos. So Legos he got... lots of them, BUT the ones I love the most and I think he does too are these... the </span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/LEGO-Education-Community-Minifigures-779348/dp/B0085Y3MTO/ref=sr_1_1?s=toys-and-games&ie=UTF8&qid=1356662778&sr=1-1&keywords=legos+education+amazon"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Lego Education Community Minifigures Set</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> I found on Amazon. It is a set of just people, their body parts, and accessories. He has literally spent hours looking at the box for inspiration from their samples and then putting these little people together. The pieces are tiny so it has proven to be work for his little fine motor skills which I intentionally want strengthened to help him with his printing and cutting... The hours he has spent already gives me hope that this is a "go to" toy that will help him in these areas. </span></center>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">At any rate, I thought I would share our Lego find in case you too are looking for toys to help with fine motor control. There are other sets beyond the "Community Helper" one, I also found a "Fairytale and Historic Figurines" one. Later on down the road Reid might be ready for one of the bigger "kits" where he would build a spacecraft or city... but he is not ready for that right now, these figurines fit the bill just perfect for him and I am so glad I found a set that is just people.</span></center>
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">AND </span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">truth be told, (</span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">call this BONUS blog post material for any parent of multiple children finding themselves in a similar situation)</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> ...there is another reason why I like these. Last spring during baseball season I made a split second decision as I was running out the door to get to Luke's baseball game and decided to pull out 2 bags of old Legos Luke had long since stopped playing with and Reid didn't even know existed, in hopes to keep Reid "corralled" for the game. Well, the result was nothing short of therapeutic for ME... it resulted in a </span><s><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">squirrely</span></s><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> little brother sitting calmly on an outstretched blanket by my feet totally enraptured by all the Lego pieces, so much so that I was able to watch the ENTIRE game with only an interruption here and there for a blue slurpee and m&ms (his snack shack staple). So... having a few more legos to bring to the fields in a few months doesn't hurt the whole "toy/therapy/keep em' entertained philosophy". </span></center>
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Cherihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08644571627468626304noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6498941347207789497.post-61532159695679781462012-11-05T20:42:00.002-08:002012-11-05T20:42:21.931-08:00Reid's Vote for President...<div style="text-align: left;">
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>Reid and his friends will vote someday... not just as a privilege but as a right </b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">About 16 years from now... on the eve of the election of 2028 I fully anticipate sitting in our living room having a good discussion with Reid about the candidates before us and the policies and laws he will have a hand in casting a vote for. It will be his <i>first</i> of many elections he will be able to take part in. There isn't any reason why he will not be able to vote, or any reason he will not be able to understand the principles and agenda each candidate stands for. I also anticipate proudly driving him to the voting booth if he isn't able to drive himself... and standing outside waiting for him extremely proud of him. I anticipate Reid getting a kick out of this experience and being fully passionate about whoever his candidate of choice is... </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i>But for now.... </i>my smarty pants is only 5 and on the eve of <i>this</i> election 2012 he tells me <i>he </i>is the best candidacy choice and that if he was elected president he would... well, play with his buddy Daniel A.!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Unfortunately tomorrow there are going to be some friends with intellectual disabilities that may be given a hard time when they show up to vote... I hope not, but if they do I hope they are armed with the information below:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">................................. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">You do have the right to vote! If you are a person with a mental
disability and understand what it means to vote, federal law protects
your right to vote. The laws that protect that right: The Constitution
and the Americans with Disabilities Act, 42 U.S.C. § 12132; Doe v. Rowe,
156 F.Supp.2d 35 (D.Me.2001). </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />You have the right to get
help from a person you choose. If you can’t read or need help voting
because of your disability, you can have someone help you vote. You can
bring a friend, family member or someone else you trust to help you. You
can ask the poll worker to help you if you didn’t bring anyone with
you. The law that gives you that right: The Voting Rights Act, 42 U.S.C.
§§1973aa-6; The Americans with Disabilities Act, 42 U.S.C. § 12132 </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">If
you have a problem, you can get help by calling 1-866-OUR-VOTE Lawyers
are available to give voters with disabilities and other voters advice
and help with voting problems, so call 1-866-OUR-VOTE (1-866-687-8683).
The law says everyone gets to cast a ballot, so don’t leave without
voting! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Even if someone says you cannot vote,
the law says the poll worker must allow you to vote a special ballot
called a Provisional Ballot. Later, an election worker will decide
whether you are allowed to vote in the election. If you are, your vote
will be counted. The law that gives you that right: The Help America
Vote Act, 42 U.S.C. § 15482</span></div>
<br />For more information about the rights of voters with disabilities visit <a href="http://www.ndrn.org/">http://www.ndrn.org/</a></div>
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Cherihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08644571627468626304noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6498941347207789497.post-89272293359294081152012-11-03T22:54:00.000-07:002012-11-03T22:54:15.457-07:00Why I Write...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Well, I checked my stats tonight and I have written, three... </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">gulp</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">, 3 posts so far in 2012. That's not so good. Have a lost my mojo?? Not so much... just got pulled under with this thing called life. I've wanted to come back... wanted to write... have actually had lots on my heart to write about, particularly with Reid transitioning to a general ed kindergarten this fall and all that brought us to that crossroad.... but my blog laid silent most of the year... and needed to I suppose for a bit. I don't like fast and furious in my life... I like slow and steady much better and in order to try and pull in the reigns a bit when life felt like it was speeding up much too fast I decided to set aside a few things... and my cherished blog was one that needed to take a back seat. But... my fingers have been itching to type and my heart and head have been housing stories I've wanted to share... </span><br />
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">And yes...</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I know this is totally vain but I really truly think that the fact that my blog was still stuck in Christmas mode the whole year through bothered me to the point of well, </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">silence.</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> But weeks have a funny way of turning into months...and well, we are now 7 weeks away from Christmas... and the fact that in the last 24 hours I have purchased 3 Christmas presents as well as the wreath below... well, I deem the background appropriate enough to say, </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">"You're close enough to Christmas sistah... hold your head up high and type away!".</span></i></center>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">So type away I will... and what the end result of tonight's typing will be I am not at this moment sure of, except that I know that I have been wanting to write about a question I was asked recently....</span></center>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">A few weeks ago I was asked by a new friend, who also has a sweet son with Down syndrome... "Why do you write?" </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">as in my blog</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">.</span></center>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I type my answer here maybe even more as a reflection for myself than it is meant to be informative in this space... but here is my answer;</span></center>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">My dad lives out of state, so when Reid was born I called him from my hospital bed to tell him the news. I remember clutching to that phone needing to hear his voice on the other end, I needed to hear my own parent tell me it was going to be okay, which he did but just as speedily as those words came off his lips so were the words, "Are you ready to write kiddo?". I cried and told him that </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">this</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">, Down syndrome, was not what I had ever envisioned myself writing about. He knows my secret passion to write because we both share the bug~ his to write a novel and mine children's books. But, he encouraged me to write, about </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">this, </span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Down syndrome. I filed it in my head not knowing what I would ever do with that comment, but filed it knowing it was a special exchange between the two of us.</span></center>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">About 6 months later I stumbled upon a site that fed blogs through it... all of these blogs were written by family members who had a child with Down syndrome. </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">What??.. I could hardly believe it</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">. Night after night once the boys were in bed I would scour the site and all the blogs and read post after post of families just. doing. life. And... they were happy. Life did not end for them. The theme I began to see in all of them was that Down syndrome was a non issue, it was a blessing to them, it was what molded them into better versions of themselves... and it was fuel to my soul. Truly... the idea that I could peer into someone's life and see how they were doing life along this new journey I was on was so helpful to me. I gleaned resources on top of encouragement, and began to put into focus my philosophy of raising a child with special needs. I could feel myself taking a little of this and a little of that from each site and each family.... without them even knowing it because they were right there- on the internet- for me to learn from. I. am. so. grateful. for those blogs in the early years. And then as crazy as it sounds... many of those strangers I gleaned from in the beginning... have become friends along this road. People I feel invested in, people I never would have met had it not been for this extra little chromosome that our children share. I need this connection with others who also have a child with Down syndrome as much as I need the connection with my childhood friends, and other close friends I've made in my life. </span></center>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">That... that's why I write. To connect. And... if there is a family that stumbles upon my blog that is new on this journey and can see the same thing I saw in others.... that we are happy, that we love our boys to the moon and back, that Down syndrome does not define our youngest son- that he is more like his brother and his friends than not- that we are not sad anymore that he has Down syndrome- that we feel so incredibly blessed... then I say thank you to those who came before me and showed me the beauty of writing and sharing so that others might get their legs about them like I did. </span></center>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">"Yeah Dad, I'm ready to write...."</span></center>
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">...and as for what my little men have been up to while my blog has laid silent, here is a snippet... </span></span></i></center>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Preschool Graduation</span></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NmlcOMvnpT0/UJX3p1iVi6I/AAAAAAAADsc/xyN0qKdE2ZM/s1600/P7032918.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NmlcOMvnpT0/UJX3p1iVi6I/AAAAAAAADsc/xyN0qKdE2ZM/s640/P7032918.JPG" width="480" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">All Star baseball</span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ygQvuP9onow/UJXwQ1WVhxI/AAAAAAAADqE/-vjrAV-Bx00/s1600/IMG_20120831_125927_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ygQvuP9onow/UJXwQ1WVhxI/AAAAAAAADqE/-vjrAV-Bx00/s640/IMG_20120831_125927_2.jpg" width="438" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Summer fun</span></span></td></tr>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Nnd7p98jmF4/UJXwhiEykyI/AAAAAAAADrM/EmZGMxVeYFE/s1600/P6102796_2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Nnd7p98jmF4/UJXwhiEykyI/AAAAAAAADrM/EmZGMxVeYFE/s400/P6102796_2.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vLuYO69grSI/UJX4D0iKI0I/AAAAAAAADsw/MLtgYt15p7Y/s1600/P9043086.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vLuYO69grSI/UJX4D0iKI0I/AAAAAAAADsw/MLtgYt15p7Y/s640/P9043086.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">First Day of School~ Kindergarten and 5th Grade</span></span></td></tr>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wo0Jw8qsH9U/UJXwv66pWBI/AAAAAAAADr4/exQSqbdyk00/s1600/P9043091.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wo0Jw8qsH9U/UJXwv66pWBI/AAAAAAAADr4/exQSqbdyk00/s640/P9043091.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MwLiaGlbw_s/UJXwSOfYbAI/AAAAAAAADqM/A6w3g0RSARE/s1600/IMG_20121026_172204-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MwLiaGlbw_s/UJXwSOfYbAI/AAAAAAAADqM/A6w3g0RSARE/s640/IMG_20121026_172204-1.jpg" width="486" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/about/history/dr_goddard.html">Robert H. Goddard</a> and his superhero sidekick</span></span></td></tr>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3MW1pLjq3h0/UJXwTbK2-QI/AAAAAAAADqU/I2CKJHuyaWc/s1600/IMG_20121026_172241-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3MW1pLjq3h0/UJXwTbK2-QI/AAAAAAAADqU/I2CKJHuyaWc/s640/IMG_20121026_172241-1.jpg" width="428" /></span></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VecMPRTVN8E/UJXwUbJbpfI/AAAAAAAADqc/78-oUFWShf4/s1600/IMG_20121103_151750.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VecMPRTVN8E/UJXwUbJbpfI/AAAAAAAADqc/78-oUFWShf4/s640/IMG_20121103_151750.jpg" width="476" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">...and just today~ Mummified at a birthday party</span></span></td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>That wreath up top I bought today?.</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>.. </i>bought from a <a href="http://wwwourunexpectedjourney.blogspot.com/">friend</a> on the other side of the US who I met via her blog when she was still pregnant with her sweet Bennett, who also sports an extra chromosome. Thanks to her writing, I got to celebrate his birth and pray for him when he was going into heart surgery months later. I love this little thing called </span><s><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">writing</span></s><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> connecting.</span><br />
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Cherihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08644571627468626304noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6498941347207789497.post-88200705024155488822012-05-24T11:16:00.000-07:002012-05-24T11:28:26.976-07:00Dear Target... Thank You, Love Reid<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Oh dear, there is so much dust on this little blog of mine.... but I am attempting to post, but posting I must do with one hand wrapped over my eyes so as to shield me from the sight that my blog is still stuck in, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>gulp</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">, Christmas mode.... and that I have not posted since January. But, good news is that anyone reading this post... who may also feel crazy busy... maybe even frenzied at times in their life can pat themselves on the back and feel good in the fact that at least their blog does not scream </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY CHEER</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> at the end of May! So... you are welcome!</span><br />
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<center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">So, why after all this time roll up your sleeves and set your fingers back on the keyboard you might ask? Well, it has to do with a picture, and as the saying goes a picture is worth a thousand words... this one can illicit about that many from me... whether I get them all out is another thing.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">That picture is this one... </span></center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></center><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nnwK5QRpLW8/T72wbaTtUlI/AAAAAAAADn4/ucYK_alWybQ/s1600/554795_10150931971306392_509746391_10371893_1742640241_n-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nnwK5QRpLW8/T72wbaTtUlI/AAAAAAAADn4/ucYK_alWybQ/s640/554795_10150931971306392_509746391_10371893_1742640241_n-1.jpg" width="480" /></a></span></div>
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<center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I actually don't physically have it in my hands yet but my friend, <a href="http://brennanplus5.blogspot.com/">Sharon</a>, on the east coast alerted me to it as she received her new summer Target catalog in the mail yesterday and this shot is featured on the back. The little blonde haired, blue glasses wearing, baseball uniform sportin guy is Reid. I love, LOVE when companies feature children with special needs in their print ads... it is amazingly sad how under represented our children are in this field... but I think there is a new growing awareness and more and more companies are recognizing this and making sure our children are included, and Target is definitely leading the way. </span></center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Honestly, had it not been Reid in this ad but another one of his friends with Down syndrome I would have still done the same internal standing ovation for Target and still re-vowed my ferocious allegiance to them because it is just that special to see kids being kids... no matter the number of chromosomes or special need.</span></center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">But, since it <i>is</i> Reid .... I get to share details or parts from the shoot that are not visible to anyone else and are stored in my heart. </span></center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">This opportunity came quite out of the blue.... Back in January we got a call from <a href="http://infantino.com/">Infantino</a>, (who ran the <a href="http://infantinoblog.com/category/everybody-plays/">Everybody Plays Campaign</a> that Reid was fortunate to be a part of in the fall).... and told us that an agent was looking for a little boy with Down syndrome for a Target ad that was to be shot soon there after and wanted to know if we were interested... and then one thing led to another...</span></center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Which led me to driving Reid out to Malibu for the shoot. As I started to get closer to the location a frog settled in my throat and tears began to fall as I traveled down Pacific Coast Highway, taking in the beauty of where I was and the beauty of the opportunity before us. I kept looking back at him in the rear view mirror and I kept thinking... "Good for you little guy. Good. For. You.... that you get this neat opportunity to be visible in a world when so many times our kids are not". They just aren't sadly. The tears continued to welp up, it's a wonder we made it there in one piece as I traveled with tear blurred vision... I was just really happy for him and humbled yet again as to where his little extra chromosome has taken us as a family.</span></center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I finally found composure as we parked and walked in. I had no idea what to expect but as we were greeted one of the gals asked Reid if he would like to dress up in a baseball uniform... He smiled huge and said "Yes!!!" Seriously, seriously?... that could not have been any more perfect for Reid's baseball fanatic personality. His little cleats even lit up for heaven's sake... he. was. on. cloud. nine.</span></center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">When I look at this picture there are things that make me just giggle... like the silver trophy he is holding, well.... that was actually the 2nd trophy because the first one which was actually gold, well, umm.... it kinda slipped out of my guy's hand and was no longer functional. Whoopsie ;). 2nd, the grass stains on the boys' pants.... that is actually grass stain spray paint (who knew there was such a thing??). The patch of grass the kids are on.... not too easy to tell but just beyond are stairs that take you down to the beach and cozy little beach front cottages. I don't know this for sure but it reminded me a lot of the summer beach house scenes from the movie Spanglish. </span></center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">It was on that patch of grass the kids took a break in between shooting and hit a few baseballs. When it was Reid's turn I remember watching the kids all inch closer to him thinking he would not be able to hit the ball very far... the <s>competitive</s> mom in me secretly hoped he would just wallop the heck out of the ball and show 'em... and I laughed out loud when he did! Wallop he did and the kids cheered and hollered as they ran to retrieve the ball that inched ever so close to the crest above the beach below. Perhaps it was this moment for Reid that helped him feel like one of the guys but during that break I walked over to him to try and brush his hair, and in embarrassed teenager fashion he told me.... "Stop mom, my hair not cwwazzy!!". </span></center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></center><center style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rZOLBoCVaSY/T75SUpNI-7I/AAAAAAAADo4/o6xKNvuOBl8/s1600/IMG_20120202_140901-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rZOLBoCVaSY/T75SUpNI-7I/AAAAAAAADo4/o6xKNvuOBl8/s400/IMG_20120202_140901-1.jpg" width="317" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">When I look at that picture I think of all those moments above and of how amazingly clear Reid's speech was that day in that setting and of the incredible "Baby Wrangler" Mark (pictured here with Reid) who was positioned just outside the scope of the shot.... who rallied the kid troops to relax, smile, giggle and just do their thing....</span></center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">But, it is my heart that looks at that picture and thinks back to the "me" when he was born and I think had someone been able to have fast forwarded 5 years for me on the day Reid was born and been able to show me this picture I know I would have grabbed it, clutched it between my fingers and squinted close trying to imagine that that would one day be my guy... it would have given me a much needed giggle and smile through my tears as I laid there in that hospital bed... how soothing to my soul that would have been on one of the best yet hardest days of my life as it was also the day we learned of his diagnosis. ...a day that I worried about his future and worried that life as I knew it was over.... little did I know that not only was it NOT over it was about to expand in a multitude of ways and become even more beautiful....</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Those are the parts... the parts you wouldn't be able to see unless I shared...</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>To end this post I think I'll simply leave it with my son's words as I imagine he would say them....</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Dear Target, </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Thank you, thank you that you give my friends and I an opportunity to be seen as the "typical" children that we are in your advertising. My Poppa said he'll always shop at your store because he likes what you stand for... personally I like your awesome cleats that light up when I round the bases! Because of you one of my classmates at preschool brought this ad in and asked if I would sign it, that's kinda cool for a kid my age! I plan to ask my favorite mailman when he finally delivers your summer catalog to my door to turn it around so I can show him who is on the back. I know he will like it because we are good pals!</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Love,</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Reid</span></span></div>
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<center style="text-align: auto;"><br /></center><center style="text-align: left;"><br /></center><center style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://s583.photobucket.com/albums/ss280/rasingreid/?action=view&current=cherisig.png" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i583.photobucket.com/albums/ss280/rasingreid/cherisig.png" /></a></center>Cherihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08644571627468626304noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6498941347207789497.post-21795591046687909222012-01-12T22:34:00.000-08:002012-01-16T20:38:47.964-08:00Slow and Steady<center style="text-align: left;"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WkMFG3FQebk/Tw_OuMswFyI/AAAAAAAADnQ/iW_Qyu5XF_U/s1600/PC312066.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WkMFG3FQebk/Tw_OuMswFyI/AAAAAAAADnQ/iW_Qyu5XF_U/s640/PC312066.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: #323232;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I recently came across an article a teacher wrote after speaking with her students about advice they would give moms on "mothering"... She said that year after year overwhelmingly the majority of them said that what </span></span><span style="color: #323232;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">they enjoyed most, and what made their<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"> </span></span><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">hearts</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> happiest was when their mothers did simple things for or with them. I loved reading this list, I found it refreshing and doable ...so sharing it here! To read the full article go <a href="http://www.lifehack.org/articles/lifestyle/the-top-10-things-children-really-want-their-parents-to-do-with-them.html">here</a>.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: #323232;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: #323232;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b>Here is a list of the top ten things students around the world said they remembered and loved most about their mothers.</b></span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: #323232;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b><br />
</b></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18pt; margin-left: 0.5in; text-align: left; text-indent: -0.5in;"><span style="color: #323232; font-family: ArialMT;">1. Come into my bedroom at night, tuck me in and sing me a song. Also tell me stories about </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #323232; font-family: ArialMT;">when you were little.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.0pt; margin-left: .5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-pagination: none; mso-text-indent-alt: -.5in; tab-stops: 11.0pt .5in; text-autospace: none; text-indent: -.5in;"><span style="color: #323232; font-family: ArialMT;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.0pt; margin-left: .5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-pagination: none; mso-text-indent-alt: -.5in; tab-stops: 11.0pt .5in; text-autospace: none; text-indent: -.5in;"><span style="color: #323232; font-family: ArialMT;">2. Give me hugs and kisses and sit and talk with me privately.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.0pt; margin-left: .5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-pagination: none; mso-text-indent-alt: -.5in; tab-stops: 11.0pt .5in; text-autospace: none; text-indent: -.5in;"><span style="color: #323232; font-family: ArialMT;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.0pt; margin-left: .5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-pagination: none; mso-text-indent-alt: -.5in; tab-stops: 11.0pt .5in; text-autospace: none; text-indent: -.5in;"><span style="color: #323232; font-family: ArialMT;">3. Spend quality time just with me, not with my brothers and sisters around.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.0pt; margin-left: .5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-pagination: none; mso-text-indent-alt: -.5in; tab-stops: 11.0pt .5in; text-autospace: none; text-indent: -.5in;"><span style="color: #323232; font-family: ArialMT;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.0pt; margin-left: .5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-pagination: none; mso-text-indent-alt: -.5in; tab-stops: 11.0pt .5in; text-autospace: none; text-indent: -.5in;"><span style="color: #323232; font-family: ArialMT;">4. Give me nutritious food so I can grow up healthy.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.0pt; margin-left: .5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-pagination: none; mso-text-indent-alt: -.5in; tab-stops: 11.0pt .5in; text-autospace: none; text-indent: -.5in;"><span style="color: #323232; font-family: ArialMT;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.0pt; margin-left: .5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-pagination: none; mso-text-indent-alt: -.5in; tab-stops: 11.0pt .5in; text-autospace: none; text-indent: -.5in;"><span style="color: #323232; font-family: ArialMT;">5. At dinner talk about what we could do together on the weekend.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.0pt; margin-left: .5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-pagination: none; mso-text-indent-alt: -.5in; tab-stops: 11.0pt .5in; text-autospace: none; text-indent: -.5in;"><span style="color: #323232; font-family: ArialMT;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.0pt; margin-left: .5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-pagination: none; mso-text-indent-alt: -.5in; tab-stops: 11.0pt .5in; text-autospace: none; text-indent: -.5in;"><span style="color: #323232; font-family: ArialMT;">6. At night talk to me about anything; love, school, family etc.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.0pt; margin-left: .5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-pagination: none; mso-text-indent-alt: -.5in; tab-stops: 11.0pt .5in; text-autospace: none; text-indent: -.5in;"><span style="color: #323232; font-family: ArialMT;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.0pt; margin-left: .5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-pagination: none; mso-text-indent-alt: -.5in; tab-stops: 11.0pt .5in; text-autospace: none; text-indent: -.5in;"><span style="color: #323232; font-family: ArialMT;">7. Let me play outside a lot.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.0pt; margin-left: .5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-pagination: none; mso-text-indent-alt: -.5in; tab-stops: 11.0pt .5in; text-autospace: none; text-indent: -.5in;"><span style="color: #323232; font-family: ArialMT;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.0pt; margin-left: .5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-pagination: none; mso-text-indent-alt: -.5in; tab-stops: 11.0pt .5in; text-autospace: none; text-indent: -.5in;"><span style="color: #323232; font-family: ArialMT;">8. Cuddle under a blanket and watch our favorite TV show together.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.0pt; margin-left: .5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-pagination: none; mso-text-indent-alt: -.5in; tab-stops: 11.0pt .5in; text-autospace: none; text-indent: -.5in;"><span style="color: #323232; font-family: ArialMT;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.0pt; margin-left: .5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-pagination: none; mso-text-indent-alt: -.5in; tab-stops: 11.0pt .5in; text-autospace: none; text-indent: -.5in;"><span style="color: #323232; font-family: ArialMT;">9. Discipline me. It makes me feel like you care.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.0pt; margin-left: .5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-pagination: none; mso-text-indent-alt: -.5in; tab-stops: 11.0pt .5in; text-autospace: none; text-indent: -.5in;"><span style="color: #323232; font-family: ArialMT;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #323232; font-family: ArialMT;">10. Leave special messages in my desk or lunch bag.</span></div></center><center style="text-align: left;"><br />
</center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">This "list" written by the very ones whose voices should be heard.... says a lot. Slowing down and simmering in the simplicities of just being together and sharing life together in a slow, sweet pace sounds awfully good! </span></center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">One of my New Year Resolutions...? You betcha, slow and steady baby!</span></center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-B5ltyFOXE34/Tw_O0PgOJzI/AAAAAAAADnY/YKebRFHMoMQ/s1600/PC312071.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-B5ltyFOXE34/Tw_O0PgOJzI/AAAAAAAADnY/YKebRFHMoMQ/s640/PC312071.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="640" /></a></span></span></center><center style="text-align: left;"><br />
</center><center style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://s583.photobucket.com/albums/ss280/rasingreid/?action=view&current=cherisig.png" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i583.photobucket.com/albums/ss280/rasingreid/cherisig.png" /></a></center>Cherihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08644571627468626304noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6498941347207789497.post-77896944017828436192012-01-11T17:44:00.000-08:002012-01-11T17:44:00.101-08:00Wordless Wednesday... Brothers<center style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bXH9c8HNiuo/Tw424VzRFfI/AAAAAAAADlg/gsug1jStISc/s1600/PC311997.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bXH9c8HNiuo/Tw424VzRFfI/AAAAAAAADlg/gsug1jStISc/s400/PC311997.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iWFy_SNXJ6w/Tw43FPF6vbI/AAAAAAAADl4/mdy0TEp8MmU/s1600/PC312094.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iWFy_SNXJ6w/Tw43FPF6vbI/AAAAAAAADl4/mdy0TEp8MmU/s400/PC312094.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-g67cpLbzmxE/Tw43Ix9hjiI/AAAAAAAADmA/OKWZc2TgrPE/s1600/PC312096.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-g67cpLbzmxE/Tw43Ix9hjiI/AAAAAAAADmA/OKWZc2TgrPE/s400/PC312096.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VAMHNhJPAPU/Tw43Oh-pWpI/AAAAAAAADmM/sm_96djJJuE/s1600/PC312110.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VAMHNhJPAPU/Tw43Oh-pWpI/AAAAAAAADmM/sm_96djJJuE/s400/PC312110.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-S1-8tVhvbNA/Tw43gQkHrsI/AAAAAAAADmw/oYtHSSbWBZE/s1600/PC312144.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-S1-8tVhvbNA/Tw43gQkHrsI/AAAAAAAADmw/oYtHSSbWBZE/s400/PC312144.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Hz9oY7Ii6XM/Tw43ji3B-NI/AAAAAAAADm8/HTKJOaggEUY/s1600/PC312146.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Hz9oY7Ii6XM/Tw43ji3B-NI/AAAAAAAADm8/HTKJOaggEUY/s400/PC312146.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://i583.photobucket.com/albums/ss280/rasingreid/cherisig.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i583.photobucket.com/albums/ss280/rasingreid/cherisig.png" style="cursor: move;" /></a></div></center>Cherihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08644571627468626304noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6498941347207789497.post-67874307460860667412011-12-28T23:01:00.000-08:002012-01-16T20:39:56.492-08:00"I Five.... Today<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-88xPUDVJ3IM/TvwEL2ULDWI/AAAAAAAADkw/t0TmFfx4vjE/s640/Reid+2.jpg" width="426" /></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Today Reid would tell you.... "I five!" if you asked him.</span><br />
<center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><center style="font-family: Times; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></span></center><center style="font-family: Times; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Actually we were at the park today with some friends and I told Reid to tell the girls what today was..... </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I was not sure how he would respond to be honest</span></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">, but he looked up at them, smiled, and said, "I five!!". When they said Happy Birthday Reid, he responded with a most adorable, "Fanks!!" with again that little smirk on his face. </span></span></span></center><center style="font-family: Times; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></center><center style="font-family: Times; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">If Reid had more words about him he would also say....</span></center><center style="font-family: Times; text-align: left;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GUJ0YZexdRw/Tvv7OmDDkDI/AAAAAAAADh8/C-tmfhgBfEw/s1600/luke+kissing+reid.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GUJ0YZexdRw/Tvv7OmDDkDI/AAAAAAAADh8/C-tmfhgBfEw/s640/luke+kissing+reid.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
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</span></center><center style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">"I have the best big brother, EVER!"</span></center><center style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nx2aTXel5Ds/TvwOJEGjwvI/AAAAAAAADk8/gdg0B9aSa30/s1600/IMG_2407.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nx2aTXel5Ds/TvwOJEGjwvI/AAAAAAAADk8/gdg0B9aSa30/s640/IMG_2407.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><center style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">"Daddy is my hero!"</span></center><center style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></center><center style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RhpQvgQ3WSg/Tvv7Rr1K-vI/AAAAAAAADiU/ss8hCuMZF-8/s1600/IMG_1675.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RhpQvgQ3WSg/Tvv7Rr1K-vI/AAAAAAAADiU/ss8hCuMZF-8/s640/IMG_1675.jpg" width="480" /></a></span></center><center style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">"Follow your dreams, there isn't anything you can't accomplish if you put your mind and heart in it!"</span></center><center style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></center><center style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></center><center style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2CtU8mtEsP8/Tvv7UTiLokI/AAAAAAAADis/YKJs01GC85k/s1600/IMG_5593.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2CtU8mtEsP8/Tvv7UTiLokI/AAAAAAAADis/YKJs01GC85k/s640/IMG_5593.JPG" width="425" /></span></a></center><center style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">"If you have the opportunity to sit out or dance.... DANCE!!"</span></center><center style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rEai3Z03bU4/TvzbCth3OGI/AAAAAAAADlI/VrbC9syxaZY/s1600/PA281157.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rEai3Z03bU4/TvzbCth3OGI/AAAAAAAADlI/VrbC9syxaZY/s640/PA281157.JPG" width="408" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">"Tell someone that you love them.... To Infinity and Beyond!!"</span></div><br />
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<center style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-m5PAf53b9zs/Tvv7XMuj0YI/AAAAAAAADi0/yiSzjj08iBU/s1600/P8221010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-m5PAf53b9zs/Tvv7XMuj0YI/AAAAAAAADi0/yiSzjj08iBU/s640/P8221010.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></center><center style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">"Laughter is good for the soul!"</span></center><center style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></center><center style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></center><center style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-M1DwEq_CSDE/Tvv8xXPT27I/AAAAAAAADkk/q55mePKGgyc/s1600/PC221875_2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-M1DwEq_CSDE/Tvv8xXPT27I/AAAAAAAADkk/q55mePKGgyc/s640/PC221875_2.JPG" width="212" /></span></a></center><center style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">"Rudolph isn't the only cute reindeer!"</span></center><center style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></center><center style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></center><center style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Id2yZzvbjFw/Tvv7dJM-KtI/AAAAAAAADjE/UbhNk5tHdaU/s1600/PA301275.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Id2yZzvbjFw/Tvv7dJM-KtI/AAAAAAAADjE/UbhNk5tHdaU/s640/PA301275.JPG" width="480" /></span></a></center><center style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">"Mind your manners and don't forget to say, "Thank you... thank you very much" from time to time!"</span></center><center style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></center><center style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></center><center style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MnESjGkUkDE/Tvv8fvsRjAI/AAAAAAAADkI/krXTDWcQ_fY/s1600/PB241620_2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="532" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MnESjGkUkDE/Tvv8fvsRjAI/AAAAAAAADkI/krXTDWcQ_fY/s640/PB241620_2.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></center><center style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">"Hug close the ones you love!"</span></center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-i2Yg1OtROdY/TvzbO7mF1wI/AAAAAAAADlU/7VIEzD4zjoA/s1600/PC291962.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-i2Yg1OtROdY/TvzbO7mF1wI/AAAAAAAADlU/7VIEzD4zjoA/s640/PC291962.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"></span></span></center><center style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">"If you want to hang out in <i>only</i> rain boots and underwear all day... so be it! Blaze your own trail!"</span> </center><center style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></center><center style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rn9gUeE-Z14/Tvv8k7RQC3I/AAAAAAAADkY/g1FtkFIsGps/s640/PC181780.JPG" width="480" /></span></div><br />
<center style="text-align: left;"></center><center style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">"Five is going to be my best year yet!"</span></center><center style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br />
</i></span></center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>**Top photo taken by </i></span><a href="http://www.kellehampton.com/"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Kelle Hampton</span></i></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i> for the Infantino/Step2 </i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><a href="http://infantinoblog.com/2011/10/07/kelle-hampton-and-everybody-plays/">"Everybody plays" </a>Campaign. All photos are property of this blog owner and may not be reproduced without permission.</i></span></center><center style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://s583.photobucket.com/albums/ss280/rasingreid/?action=view&current=cherisig.png" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i583.photobucket.com/albums/ss280/rasingreid/cherisig.png" /></span></a></center>Cherihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08644571627468626304noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6498941347207789497.post-55567782175207094612011-12-26T22:12:00.000-08:002011-12-27T17:15:03.790-08:00A Beautiful New Life<center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">A little girl's "life story" has been rewritten because of this incredible family featured in the ABC News clip below.... and from what I understand the </span><a href="http://reecesrainbow.org/"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Reece's Rainbow</span></b></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> adoption website has been on overload since this aired.... I hope it stirs more hearts and ALL of these beautiful children will find their Forever Families.... The little girl Masha they show wondering if the news reporter was her Momma? Tears poured down as I watched that, no one should be without a mom or dad... I pray this news story helps her find her very soon!! </span></span></center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;"><b><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px; font-weight: normal;"><br />
</span></span></u></b></span></span></center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;"> </span></center><center style="text-align: left;"><center style="text-align: left;"><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Click <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/video/utah-family-saves-ukraine-girl-15236476?tab=9482930&section=1206853&playlist=15236541"><b>here</b></a><b> </b>for the ABC News clip</span></center><center style="text-align: left;"> </center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Then, to read more of Kareen's journey to her new life, go </span><a href="http://www.kareensjourneyhome.blogspot.com/"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">here</span></b></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">. </span></center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>A few thoughts..... Once given the diagnosis of Down syndrome from health professionals many of us walking this road were encouraged to abort, told that our child would be a burden to society, to their families, their siblings would suffer.... you scour the internet and you will find outdated and biased information pertaining to the life of a person with this extra chromosome, <b>BUT</b>...... you ask a family walking this road and you will get a much different answer. Of the over 500 children adopted through Reece's Rainbow, I would venture to guess that most of the adopting families either already had a child of their own with Down syndrome or an extended family member.... that says <b>A LOT</b> of this road, and the falsehood of the statements above. Parenting is tough..... with or without extra chromosomes, but the most beautiful tough I have ever experienced and I would do it all over again in a heartbeat!</i></span></center></center></center><center style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://s583.photobucket.com/albums/ss280/rasingreid/?action=view&current=cherisig.png" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i583.photobucket.com/albums/ss280/rasingreid/cherisig.png" /></a></center>Cherihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08644571627468626304noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6498941347207789497.post-86040727884938569292011-12-24T07:53:00.000-08:002011-12-24T07:53:19.812-08:00From Our Home to Yours....<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PN_5OJWDT5U/TvX0gbOzUqI/AAAAAAAADhI/XJLGr0lqBNI/s1600/PC111656_2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="355" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PN_5OJWDT5U/TvX0gbOzUqI/AAAAAAAADhI/XJLGr0lqBNI/s400/PC111656_2.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<center style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://s583.photobucket.com/albums/ss280/rasingreid/?action=view&current=cherisig.png" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i583.photobucket.com/albums/ss280/rasingreid/cherisig.png" /></a></center>Cherihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08644571627468626304noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6498941347207789497.post-87660942897946010442011-12-23T07:08:00.000-08:002011-12-23T23:22:42.933-08:00I Love You to the North Pole and Back!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-L1-Qf0GpHxI/TvQjotoYiEI/AAAAAAAADgQ/94VAkTY5suU/s1600/christmas_santa_cheriforeman5X7-ONE.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-L1-Qf0GpHxI/TvQjotoYiEI/AAAAAAAADgQ/94VAkTY5suU/s400/christmas_santa_cheriforeman5X7-ONE.jpg" width="285" /></a><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I have to confess, my soon to be 5 year old had not had a full blown birthday party until this year. His birth date is December 28th, and </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">that</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">... is such a hard time for a party. I have felt guilty over this little issue and vowed to myself that THIS year Reid would have a party with his school friends. THIS YEAR, this year, <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">this year</span>, <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">this year....</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">But seriously, this year WAS going to be the year and it turns out that once I embraced the whole winter~Christmas theme that comes with this time of year my mind flooded with ideas and I began to wonder why I was so stumped each year with how best to pull off a party in December. ...<i>Give me a summer birth date and I have ideas galore, Luke has benefited from a fun party or two in his little lifetime, but poor Reid~ Nada.</i></span><br />
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<center style="text-align: left;"> </center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The more ideas rolled in, the more </span><s><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">obsessed</span></s><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> excited with the thought I became. A huge inspiration came after reading <a href="http://www.kellehampton.com/2011/12/party-at-north-pole.html"><b>this post</b></a> on Kelle's blog. I had already thought about having snow delivered but had not fully developed my ideas until I read about her North Pole party she hosted for her girls to just "embrace the fact that Christmas was encroaching"~ and that's when the flood gates opened..... "THAT'S IT" I thought....Reid would indeed have a birthday party... and it would be hosted in no other location than the North Pole (AKA my front yard) and, it would be hosted by none other than Mr. and Mrs. Claus and a cute, spunky 10 year old elf who also goes by the name Luke. Once I got the plan set in motion I reached out to <a href="http://www.serendipitysoiree.com/"><b>Serendipity Soiree</b></a> who made these invitations for me, I LOVE them, she did such a great job!</span></center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span> </center><center style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0-WxqKDSY04/TvGBB5UkxAI/AAAAAAAADa4/hG58S-rjvtE/s1600/PC181804.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0-WxqKDSY04/TvGBB5UkxAI/AAAAAAAADa4/hG58S-rjvtE/s400/PC181804.JPG" width="300" /></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Toby knew something was up when he noticed me typing furiously one night and giggling all the while and asked what was going on... I smirked and told him that I had an idea for a party for Reid....and that, </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">gulp</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">, it was going to require him in a costume..... and, </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">gulp</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">.... memorization of a script! He gave me the o'l, "Oh no, not again...." look. He has been through this with me before, once I hosted a Scooby Doo Mystery birthday party for Luke and Toby was our "Present Thief" and he was given strict orders to follow the script I had typed out for him! Oh, the joys of parenthood..... but my amazing hunk of a husband took it all in stride and was the most lovable Santa that day, and even threw in his own spontaneous dialogue that made me howl with laughter!</span></center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span> </center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Once the invitations had gone out to Reid's classmates one of the moms stopped me and said, "Just so you know..... (</span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">insert sweet little girl's name)</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> is telling EVERYONE that she is going to the "real North Pole" for Reid's party!!". We laughed together about it, but then the pressure MOUNTED..... I. Must. Transform. This. Place. Into. The. North. Pole.... So, operation North Pole went into full affect. 1st, I literally walked up to a neighbors house a few streets over that I had never met and, </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">gulp</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">, gave them an invitation and asked if I could borrow 3 of their huge inflatable lawn decorations to help "set the stage" for the North Pole. This </span><s><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">stranger </span></s><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">woman surprisingly did not close the door on my face but smiled huge and said "Of course!" 2nd, I scoured the Dollar Tree and 99Cent store for as many decorations as I could find to "North Pole" the place up <i>(though I had bought gobs of stuff, gobs of it never made its way out the door that day.... we had rain the day before so my decorating time got cut short~ but I think it was North Pole enough to do the job). </i></span></center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span> </center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Once the decor was taken care... the kindergarten teacher in me began to relish in the fact that there were so many fabulous "stations" I could have the children rotate through... and decided that "Mrs. Claus" would read a story to the children to help conclude the party </span><i><s><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">while Reid's dad ran inside and changed into his Santa costume.</span></s></i></center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span> </center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Anyway, here is what our Sunday looked like around here.</span></center><center style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span> </center><center style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Euhzg1Pl_2U/TvQb9NmXXUI/AAAAAAAADeU/choXEhWXce8/s1600/PC181716.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Euhzg1Pl_2U/TvQb9NmXXUI/AAAAAAAADeU/choXEhWXce8/s400/PC181716.JPG" width="300" /></span></a></center><center style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span> </center><center style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pIZeZVKMMIw/TvQjrQTCGYI/AAAAAAAADgY/ukc1UHbxGVo/s1600/PC181748.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pIZeZVKMMIw/TvQjrQTCGYI/AAAAAAAADgY/ukc1UHbxGVo/s400/PC181748.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></center><center style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></center><center style="text-align: center;"> </center><center style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-THZ2SYq7oUE/TvQbo-olbgI/AAAAAAAADdc/8CContXBm4M/s1600/PC181689.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-THZ2SYq7oUE/TvQbo-olbgI/AAAAAAAADdc/8CContXBm4M/s400/PC181689.JPG" width="300" /></span></a></center><center style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span> </center><center style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--qjbOp1LnwY/TvQW0f8OXlI/AAAAAAAADdQ/rHPo3c4n6IU/s1600/PC181745.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--qjbOp1LnwY/TvQW0f8OXlI/AAAAAAAADdQ/rHPo3c4n6IU/s400/PC181745.JPG" width="300" /></span></a></center><center style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span> </center><center style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dew4mhpfywY/TvGAQP5k49I/AAAAAAAADZI/manf7TxiJMo/s1600/PC181736.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dew4mhpfywY/TvGAQP5k49I/AAAAAAAADZI/manf7TxiJMo/s400/PC181736.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></center><center style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8CH_JOp10ik/TvQcPYUdF2I/AAAAAAAADfc/S8D-fLx9C5s/s1600/PC181854.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8CH_JOp10ik/TvQcPYUdF2I/AAAAAAAADfc/S8D-fLx9C5s/s640/PC181854.JPG" width="296" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Luke was such a great sport being our "Chief Elf"! ...you could tell he loved every minute of it! <i>...Truth be told, he even slept in his costume that night, said it was "comfy" ;)</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SRqmn_aJVWc/TvGAJ4kn08I/AAAAAAAADZA/NGrVq0_wJtI/s1600/PC181732.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SRqmn_aJVWc/TvGAJ4kn08I/AAAAAAAADZA/NGrVq0_wJtI/s400/PC181732.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Our neighbor graciously made these balloon candy canes for all the kids!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rceVNVc2yG4/TvQcAATVVSI/AAAAAAAADec/tcONfOCmEzc/s1600/PC181728.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rceVNVc2yG4/TvQcAATVVSI/AAAAAAAADec/tcONfOCmEzc/s400/PC181728.JPG" width="300" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
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<center style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-A55Fs9eMKvI/TvGBrGFw7XI/AAAAAAAADcQ/E9rTT2rcqSE/s1600/PC201862.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-A55Fs9eMKvI/TvGBrGFw7XI/AAAAAAAADcQ/E9rTT2rcqSE/s400/PC201862.JPG" width="400" /></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span></center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">We contacted our local ice company and purchased several 40 lb bags of snow which they delivered. The idea was for the children to make snowmen at one of our "stations". I had carrots, tree branches, buttons, jewels, and wiggly eyes for them to choose from. However, I think the kids found it most fun to just slide around in and throw at one another.</span></center><center style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></center><center style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xdfDdjIHsS8/TvGBYG6TciI/AAAAAAAADbo/VKWpa57mWpc/s1600/PC181823.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xdfDdjIHsS8/TvGBYG6TciI/AAAAAAAADbo/VKWpa57mWpc/s400/PC181823.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></center><center style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></center><center style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xz21wXJU-Xs/TvGAjin24uI/AAAAAAAADZ4/2qpjj49pitI/s1600/PC181763_2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="372" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xz21wXJU-Xs/TvGAjin24uI/AAAAAAAADZ4/2qpjj49pitI/s400/PC181763_2.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></center><center style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></center><center style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_tFQnBHYWZ4/TvQcD88mHLI/AAAAAAAADew/g_jTFCD03Gs/s1600/PC181743.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_tFQnBHYWZ4/TvQcD88mHLI/AAAAAAAADew/g_jTFCD03Gs/s400/PC181743.JPG" width="300" /></span></a></center><center style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></center><center style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DBxWLOHNm68/TvQcGiGye3I/AAAAAAAADe4/NGtG1jy9JFI/s1600/PC181751.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DBxWLOHNm68/TvQcGiGye3I/AAAAAAAADe4/NGtG1jy9JFI/s400/PC181751.JPG" width="300" /></span></a></center><center style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></center><center style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AWbTqS3zBf0/TvGAqoGIJDI/AAAAAAAADaE/n56tnMRGGSE/s1600/PC181766.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AWbTqS3zBf0/TvGAqoGIJDI/AAAAAAAADaE/n56tnMRGGSE/s400/PC181766.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></center><center style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></center><center style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BQZ6PDsC3Z4/TvSXECl2UBI/AAAAAAAADg8/3guEVIafp_k/s1600/PC201866.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BQZ6PDsC3Z4/TvSXECl2UBI/AAAAAAAADg8/3guEVIafp_k/s400/PC201866.JPG" width="400" /></a></span> </span></center><center style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">We set out a gingerbread decorating station.</span></center><center style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></center><center style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lkPR5ExJdPw/TvGAU5e3sqI/AAAAAAAADZU/NRP-kZjhqog/s1600/PC181754.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lkPR5ExJdPw/TvGAU5e3sqI/AAAAAAAADZU/NRP-kZjhqog/s400/PC181754.JPG" width="400" /></a></span></center><center style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RsM2elwWwc0/TvQb6WE4nZI/AAAAAAAADeI/nX9lD4IbFvM/s400/PC181702.JPG" width="400" /></span></span></div><br />
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<center style="text-align: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YKKmGtkINkE/TvGAcs98C3I/AAAAAAAADZk/K8Xajd_Pjp8/s400/PC181758.JPG" width="400" /></span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">We had an Elf Wrapping Station. At the beginning of the party I handed out elf hats from Oriental Trading Company and told the kids that Santa needed help putting the finishing touches on the gifts by adding ribbons and bows. Then, they were to add their name on the back so we knew which elf inspected it. .... They did not know that these were actually their "party gifts" and the name tags on the back was to help "Santa" call out names at the end of the party once he made his grand appearance.</span><br />
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<center style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9D_tgtkDAzk/TvQb2WpnWhI/AAAAAAAADeA/UM6C6Kzb8Gw/s1600/PC181697.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9D_tgtkDAzk/TvQb2WpnWhI/AAAAAAAADeA/UM6C6Kzb8Gw/s400/PC181697.JPG" width="400" /></a></span></center><center style="text-align: center;"><br />
</center><center style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9D_tgtkDAzk/TvQb2WpnWhI/AAAAAAAADeA/UM6C6Kzb8Gw/s1600/PC181697.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1IkafrIet0Y/TvGAgFt7DSI/AAAAAAAADZw/HV5xjL_Xs_M/s1600/PC181760.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1IkafrIet0Y/TvGAgFt7DSI/AAAAAAAADZw/HV5xjL_Xs_M/s400/PC181760.JPG" width="300" /></a></span></center><center style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XeeZNlLLWo8/TvQhletYb6I/AAAAAAAADgE/wcdhjr5fv_s/s1600/PC181757_2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="295" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XeeZNlLLWo8/TvQhletYb6I/AAAAAAAADgE/wcdhjr5fv_s/s400/PC181757_2.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I found these cute little plastic reindeer jars at the Dollar Tree and thought they would be perfect for adding "Reindeer Food" into... however, the 1st store only had 8 so I began searching other stores in the area until I had to realize I was getting neurotic about these dang reindeer jars and that no... it was </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">not</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> healthy to drive 10 miles to pick up the 1 jar that the store manager said he had left, </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">sigh</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">, so I caved and bought the Santa ones to have as back ups. I had to giggle to myself when I had 4 reindeer left over after the party because lots of kids preferred the Santa <i>(Mama Mia... I could have saved a bundle on gas and on headaches had I allowed myself the grace to know that it is okay if reindeer food does not necessarily make it into a reindeer bottle) ;)</i></span><br />
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<center style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_voebc-hkwg/TvGAYVyDVpI/AAAAAAAADZc/64hbBIzko3I/s1600/PC181756_2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="340" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_voebc-hkwg/TvGAYVyDVpI/AAAAAAAADZc/64hbBIzko3I/s400/PC181756_2.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></center><center style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></center><center style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VBLiBGM8QSU/TvQguqvBDAI/AAAAAAAADf0/vxLbOf2MayA/s1600/PC181755.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VBLiBGM8QSU/TvQguqvBDAI/AAAAAAAADf0/vxLbOf2MayA/s400/PC181755.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></center><center style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></center><center style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-i0khrRZkQzQ/TvQUk71ewlI/AAAAAAAADcw/SWLDFiBm9go/s1600/PC201864.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-i0khrRZkQzQ/TvQUk71ewlI/AAAAAAAADcw/SWLDFiBm9go/s400/PC201864.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></center><center style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></center><center style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-P3BMVZTqr9I/TvGAACOcgOI/AAAAAAAADY4/T0LUHSjNlFw/s1600/PC181731.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-P3BMVZTqr9I/TvGAACOcgOI/AAAAAAAADY4/T0LUHSjNlFw/s400/PC181731.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></center><center style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></center><center style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iMCy37aoh7o/TvQUqsl11LI/AAAAAAAADdA/8HNlqnoVZLs/s1600/PC201873.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iMCy37aoh7o/TvQUqsl11LI/AAAAAAAADdA/8HNlqnoVZLs/s400/PC201873.JPG" width="327" /></span></a></center><center style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></center><center style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">After the "stations" had been thoroughly visited it was time to cut the cake...which was also Toby's cue to head into the bedroom to change into the Santa costume we borrowed from a friend. </span></center><center style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-N-go0E7U3vo/TvQjtgwtEDI/AAAAAAAADgg/Bi42Hy1HBO4/s1600/PC181779.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-N-go0E7U3vo/TvQjtgwtEDI/AAAAAAAADgg/Bi42Hy1HBO4/s640/PC181779.JPG" width="480" /></a></span></center><center style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></center><center style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DeyHa_bCm_o/TvGAyDW7IGI/AAAAAAAADaU/ODSZeDyWZCs/s1600/PC181780.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DeyHa_bCm_o/TvGAyDW7IGI/AAAAAAAADaU/ODSZeDyWZCs/s640/PC181780.JPG" width="480" /></span></a></center><center style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></center><center style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-E-ilIaZpfiQ/TvGA3k0hliI/AAAAAAAADag/8ePRmZB1LP4/s1600/PC181790.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-E-ilIaZpfiQ/TvGA3k0hliI/AAAAAAAADag/8ePRmZB1LP4/s400/PC181790.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></center><center style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
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<center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Santa and his Chief Elf had been instructed that they were not to come out of the house until I had the kids seated and I had read a book to them....</span></center><center style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7mxg6cse41I/TvGA-Tv2SoI/AAAAAAAADaw/WichH0WfzBo/s1600/PC181802.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7mxg6cse41I/TvGA-Tv2SoI/AAAAAAAADaw/WichH0WfzBo/s400/PC181802.JPG" width="300" /></span></a></center><center style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></center><center style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-afkBE7ox12c/TvGA65ymRdI/AAAAAAAADao/O5BlC6M4e0M/s1600/PC181801.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="221" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-afkBE7ox12c/TvGA65ymRdI/AAAAAAAADao/O5BlC6M4e0M/s400/PC181801.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></center><center style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></center><center style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--sSFpfjnGr0/TvQcJxeScEI/AAAAAAAADfA/3kGkyaTPAYg/s1600/PC181800.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--sSFpfjnGr0/TvQcJxeScEI/AAAAAAAADfA/3kGkyaTPAYg/s400/PC181800.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></center><center style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></center><center style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></center><center style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">And then the time had arrived.... Santa made his debut.</span></center><center style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4DTUJ15rJxU/TvQtuHQgwZI/AAAAAAAADgs/DlmpJK1RIjA/s1600/PC181803.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4DTUJ15rJxU/TvQtuHQgwZI/AAAAAAAADgs/DlmpJK1RIjA/s320/PC181803.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="240" /></span></a></center><center style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></center><center style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-J3jro-TRBhw/TvGBEamI6FI/AAAAAAAADbE/s5yyw6WpU58/s1600/PC181805_2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="258" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-J3jro-TRBhw/TvGBEamI6FI/AAAAAAAADbE/s5yyw6WpU58/s400/PC181805_2.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></center><center style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">....and he came bearing gifts, the presents they had finished wrapping at the "Elf Station"</span></center><center style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></center><center style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mrIXHe5hwhI/TvQcOSl6TQI/AAAAAAAADfU/glTSDV4qxoY/s1600/PC181808_2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="268" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mrIXHe5hwhI/TvQcOSl6TQI/AAAAAAAADfU/glTSDV4qxoY/s400/PC181808_2.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></center><center style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></center><center style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9fBX21a91Tw/TvGBQ5raJrI/AAAAAAAADbU/K9Z9s8OIN-M/s1600/PC181813.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9fBX21a91Tw/TvGBQ5raJrI/AAAAAAAADbU/K9Z9s8OIN-M/s400/PC181813.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></center><center style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></center><center style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-65ZKpxCOaR4/TvGBieN2p6I/AAAAAAAADb8/V7fFsJYg5OU/s1600/PC181834.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-65ZKpxCOaR4/TvGBieN2p6I/AAAAAAAADb8/V7fFsJYg5OU/s400/PC181834.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Toby and I had to laugh that night.... about how much "power" comes along with wearing the big red suit. Kids crawled up on his lap unsolicited and one sweet little guy in particular looked him square in the eye and asked him if he was on the "naughty" list?? He got hugs... and kids lingering around not wanting to say good bye. One dad told me later that his little girl told him, "At first I thought it was Reid's daddy... but then I noticed hair on his hands and thought that must mean it really </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">is</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> Santa" ...Oh my gosh, kids are so funny! Even Reid was staring at Toby trying to figure it all out. </span></center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hV42duN--kU/TvLplbXipeI/AAAAAAAADcY/efFtWqlqSZg/s1600/PC201860.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="370" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hV42duN--kU/TvLplbXipeI/AAAAAAAADcY/efFtWqlqSZg/s400/PC201860.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">And as for Mrs. Claus...</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> though she is best known for her fabulous cookie baking abilities and managerial skills with the elves, she is also known to have a bit of a sassy side to her that she unveils from time to time ;).</span></span></div></td></tr>
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<center style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KVQiHZAHtSc/TvGBdY2xh0I/AAAAAAAADbw/bDnvOAryIlM/s1600/PC181832.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KVQiHZAHtSc/TvGBdY2xh0I/AAAAAAAADbw/bDnvOAryIlM/s400/PC181832.JPG" width="400" /></a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span></center><center style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Reid, we had so much fun celebrating your little life! Happy 5th birthday!</span></center><center style="text-align: center;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">We love you..... to the North Pole and back!!</span></span></span></b></center><center style="text-align: center;"><br />
</center><center style="text-align: center;"><br />
</center><center style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://s583.photobucket.com/albums/ss280/rasingreid/?action=view&current=cherisig.png" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i583.photobucket.com/albums/ss280/rasingreid/cherisig.png" /></a></center>Cherihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08644571627468626304noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6498941347207789497.post-279645035327152752011-12-14T23:38:00.000-08:002011-12-15T00:36:48.656-08:00Wordless Wednesday...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LSyt-S21v48/TumwMVlha8I/AAAAAAAADYI/lp1Q7w8XBCA/s1600/IMG_20111206_201838_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LSyt-S21v48/TumwMVlha8I/AAAAAAAADYI/lp1Q7w8XBCA/s400/IMG_20111206_201838_2.jpg" width="367" /></a></div><center style="text-align: left;"><br />
</center><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><center style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://s583.photobucket.com/albums/ss280/rasingreid/?action=view&current=cherisig.png" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i583.photobucket.com/albums/ss280/rasingreid/cherisig.png" /></a></center>Cherihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08644571627468626304noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6498941347207789497.post-35223210403055915102011-12-02T21:23:00.000-08:002011-12-02T21:23:13.837-08:00Happy Heart Day<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Three years ago today this little firefighter was a fighter of a different sort....</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FovJzW8W9wM/TtmtboapNPI/AAAAAAAADXo/YFFO0BX0Hms/s1600/PB091474.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FovJzW8W9wM/TtmtboapNPI/AAAAAAAADXo/YFFO0BX0Hms/s640/PB091474.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Three years ago today he had open heart surgery (his 2nd in 2 years).</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7r6zvbL_grM/TtmtU0TQHMI/AAAAAAAADXg/_SpPSSy4Hnw/s1600/10864_1272694544532_1444974841_773337_7875121_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7r6zvbL_grM/TtmtU0TQHMI/AAAAAAAADXg/_SpPSSy4Hnw/s640/10864_1272694544532_1444974841_773337_7875121_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Reid, I am so glad you are our fighter... our little rascal... and our silly, snuggly, sweet, and funny little boy! We love you and are so glad your heart is healthy and strong now! I will always look back on this day and be so grateful for those that worked to help mend you and make your heart strong! </span></div><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Happy Heart Day! </span></center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">xoxo,</span></center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">MOM</span></center>Cherihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08644571627468626304noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6498941347207789497.post-37002392733752171772011-12-01T22:57:00.000-08:002011-12-02T21:41:55.518-08:00A New Tradition For Our Family<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Lh3XfDjPDmc/Tthyll-YBkI/AAAAAAAADWk/7VhUJnzBphI/s1600/PC011638.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="337" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Lh3XfDjPDmc/Tthyll-YBkI/AAAAAAAADWk/7VhUJnzBphI/s400/PC011638.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">We as a family are starting a new tradition... I am stealing the idea from over </span><a href="http://momastery.blogspot.com/2011/11/gather-and-scatter-gather-and-scatter.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">here</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">. </span><br />
<br />
<center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">We had "the talk" this year with Luke...and no not the "talk-talk" ;)... the red hat and white bearded guy talk....and tears gushed from his eyes. It all came about quite innocently with an email he read of mine to a friend about wishing our kids could stay little forever and always believe in Santa and he snickered at first and said, "Oh I knew...." but then it got quiet....and then his little face scrunched...and then eyes became glossy...and my sweet guy </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">layed</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> at the bottom of my bed and had a </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">real. good. cry</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">. He said it was so much fun to believe, he was really devastated. I was devastated that he was devastated and you know what... I had myself a little cry right there with him at the end of the bed. I wanted to rewind that whole night and wished I had never written the words...</span></center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">But, then I ran across the idea of the Advent calendar, </span><s><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">the non chocolate one</span></s><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">, and being intentional with our days before Christmas and using it to really create the Christmas spirit that ultimately we want our children to experience and know and pass on... so it helped me to come to terms with this new chapter for him. I chin-upped and decided we were moving in a different direction with our tradition...and I started to get excited about it.... and even </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">sneaky</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> about it because he had no idea what I was up to! </span></center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">So, today when he came home from school I had our new Advent calendar out waiting for him where he would see it as soon as he walked in. I bought one big enough for us to put little notes in each day of the week with an activity or good deed...or </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">yes, maybe even some chocolates</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> ;). </span></center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">My thought ....for our new little tradition was this.... the day #1 little door will have a note already inside it from me that states.... "Tonight the family will make a gingerbread house and brainstorm/write down ideas for the other 24 days". So, I bought a cute little gingerbread house kit...wrote my note... and had high hopes that this new tradition was going to be Norman Rockwell-</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">esque</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">, right from the start...day one was going to showcase the beauty and spirit I dreamt of.... </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">a</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">nd</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> it would have</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> ..... IF "short stuff' had not grabbed the scissors and cut his brother's homework into small pieces, and big brother not kicked him in the shins for doing it...and the two of them not tossed books about the room while in time out... nor continued to squabble at each other the remainder of the evening... Norman Rockwell it wasn't turning out to be, so sadly making our gingerbread house tonight needed a rain check.... day #1, is being moved to day #2, </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">pending their new found good behavior</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">. </span><s><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The good news is we now only have to think of 23 other activities</span></s><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">. </span></center><center style="text-align: left;"><s><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></s></center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">But, this is how I plan to start it each year... making our annual gingerbread house and brainstorming ideas together on day #1. I want our days to be filled with not only family activities but also times of doing something special for someone else.</span></center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I definitely want input from my family but a few ideas I have already brainstormed and prepared for are;</span></center><center style="text-align: left;"><ul><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Leave a box of Christmas dog bone biscuits on our neighbors doorstep for the dog the boys "dog sit" for on occasion (the ones below crack me up...the biscuits are shaped as mailmen and cats) </span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Leave bags shown below of hot chocolate mix on neighbors doorsteps (we have several widows on our street so these are for them in particular)</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Bake cookies and take to neighbors (I found these cute bag kits with name tags at Home Goods)</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Bundle up and go "night time" bike riding through the neighborhood to see the lights</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Make hot chocolate and popcorn and watch a movie together</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Slumber party under the tree</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Purchase a toy to take to the local fire station for Toys for Tots</span></li>
</ul><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I look forward to hearing my boys' ideas as well, and Luke already told me, "Mom, I know what will go in door #24!". We also have a tradition on Christmas Eve where we get up early...go get coffee and donuts..and head out to deliver special "care packages" Luke puts together to give to the homeless (an idea he came up with all on his own about 5 years ago). It usually takes us hours.. we drive all around finding our next special person and we end up with amazing stories from the people we encounter. There is a gentleman named Robert that we look for first, we have hunted him down the last 3 years and he is surprised every time that we remember his name. </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I'm just sad he's still out there. </span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">So this activity will be written down and go in door #24 along with another day of collecting supplies and putting them together.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">What are your ideas?? What do you all put in your Advent calendar if you do one? According to my calculations after my contributing ideas my boys will still need 14 more ideas.... so would love your input! <i>...okay I am asking for it</i>, please do tell! :)</span></div></center><center style="text-align: left;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-m9WZpZ2Xl-o/TthzFlP-U8I/AAAAAAAADXA/Vp9Pyz4ic4s/s1600/PC011635.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-m9WZpZ2Xl-o/TthzFlP-U8I/AAAAAAAADXA/Vp9Pyz4ic4s/s400/PC011635.JPG" width="326" /></a></div><center style="text-align: auto;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-49tg5LuWi8E/Tthy407DV2I/AAAAAAAADWs/rCANf1azJA8/s1600/PC011633.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-49tg5LuWi8E/Tthy407DV2I/AAAAAAAADWs/rCANf1azJA8/s400/PC011633.JPG" width="312" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dOE4xja6JL8/Tthy7dn4xRI/AAAAAAAADW0/HeAwm2Qof2Y/s1600/PC011634.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dOE4xja6JL8/Tthy7dn4xRI/AAAAAAAADW0/HeAwm2Qof2Y/s400/PC011634.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br />
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<center style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://s583.photobucket.com/albums/ss280/rasingreid/?action=view&current=cherisig.png" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i583.photobucket.com/albums/ss280/rasingreid/cherisig.png" /></a></center>Cherihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08644571627468626304noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6498941347207789497.post-67878746818962569172011-11-28T21:41:00.000-08:002011-11-29T06:52:07.448-08:00Bagels = Zeros.... and Some iPad Love<center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">In case you didn't know....... bagels look like zeros. ....Reid told me so. </span></center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">A week or so ago while making bagels Reid shouted out, "Mom..... ZERO!!" while proudly holding up his bagel. I stopped and looked at his little face.... and realized he was connecting that a bagel is shaped like a zero, therefore it was a zero and....well, I squealed.... </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">yes, like a girl</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">.... no, more like a very happy momma that was celebrating that her child had made this connection and then picked that little guy up and twirled him around. These little connections are BIG connections in our world! I didn't even know he knew zero yet.</span></center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">So what do you do when your child brilliantly declares bagels look like zeros? Well.... you plop him on the couch and document it baby!</span></center><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bGZdWopV89k/TtRaZjXkI8I/AAAAAAAADVo/7R7y6_BwWjc/s1600/PB111500.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bGZdWopV89k/TtRaZjXkI8I/AAAAAAAADVo/7R7y6_BwWjc/s640/PB111500.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">and then you eat those </span><s><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">zeros </span></s><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">bagels!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
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</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">********************************************************************</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">One of the BEST investments we have made for Reid..... which we have seen contribute to much of his progress in number and letter recognition is the iPad. I love this thing, absolutely LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it. He is so independent with it and navigates himself around to the apps he wants to work in that day and I feel ZERO guilt because he is playing and learning all at the same time. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">If you have thought about getting one for Christmas or are on the fence..... my advice? Get it. The advantage it gives our little ones with special needs is HUGE. In my opinion it is worth EVERY cent!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The app Reid is working on below is the </span><a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/iwritewords-handwriting-game/id307025309?mt=8"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">iWriteWords</span></b></a><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">app (it also has a # section) and I believe the one with the letters is from his </span><a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/starfall-abcs/id395623983?mt=8"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Starfall ABCs</span></b></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> app.... both are must haves. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Other items worth mentioning are the </span><b><a href="http://www.biggrips.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Big Grips Frame </span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">shown below in blue</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">and the </span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=bl_sr_mp3?_encoding=UTF8&node=172282&field-brandtextbin=Just%20Mobile"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Just Mobile stylus</span></b></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">. The Big Grips Frame goes without saying... you want to protect your investment and we have found this one to be perfect for Reid's little hands. We had our iPad about a month before we bought this and we had too many close calls with falls so I feel much better with this on! The stylus is something we decided to purchase to help him with gripping an item such as a pencil or crayon. This is also one of his IEP goals so this stylus is helping us achieve that I think. We bought it in yellow to resemble a pencil but they have lots of different fun colors. He loves using it to trace letters and numbers on the iPad... </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">and sometimes you will even find my goofball with it behind his ear to be, well, ahem ....a goofball. </span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
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<center style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://s583.photobucket.com/albums/ss280/rasingreid/?action=view&current=cherisig.png" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i583.photobucket.com/albums/ss280/rasingreid/cherisig.png" /></a></center>Cherihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08644571627468626304noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6498941347207789497.post-8822583548460195232011-11-16T18:52:00.000-08:002011-11-16T18:52:12.440-08:00Wordless Wednesday: My Buckaroo<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YTNnhCVvf2A/TsRzECA4ZgI/AAAAAAAADUM/4racyyPpUCo/s1600/DSC_6447.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YTNnhCVvf2A/TsRzECA4ZgI/AAAAAAAADUM/4racyyPpUCo/s640/DSC_6447.JPG" width="424" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1GbwvuR6kJc/TsRy8UiEJKI/AAAAAAAADT8/3O2L3uIvHSc/s1600/DSC_6445_2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fVTP7xldv_8/TsRzV2KxPcI/AAAAAAAADUw/xdr5ZV8lSHk/s1600/DSC_6452.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fVTP7xldv_8/TsRzV2KxPcI/AAAAAAAADUw/xdr5ZV8lSHk/s640/DSC_6452.JPG" width="424" /></a></div><br />
<center style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://s583.photobucket.com/albums/ss280/rasingreid/?action=view&current=cherisig.png" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i583.photobucket.com/albums/ss280/rasingreid/cherisig.png" /></a></center>Cherihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08644571627468626304noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6498941347207789497.post-16019909576217065512011-11-15T21:54:00.000-08:002011-11-16T15:50:57.109-08:00The Elephant in the Room<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Okay, so let's talk about it, the elephant in the room.... Yes, yes I do know it is a bit early to "Christmas-y" up my blog but this is the deal.... Each. And. Every. Christmas...... it sneaks right up on me even though I plan for weeks for it and before I know it I am sitting amongst the dust that flies from eager little fingers ripping open presents and I vow to do it differently the next year and savor it just a bit longer. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">So this year..... <i><b>I'm</b></i> doing the sneaking up on and decided to start with my blog ...though with the red and white stripes on the side I don't think "sneaking up on it" is the right wording ;). The truth... I miss my old blog background and cute scrolley side bar buttons and sometimes I pop on the blog forgetting I had it changed and I get this jolt... hmnnn, maybe </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">it is </span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">because of those stripes, hmnn might need to re-think them. Toby says he feels like he needs to visit the barber shop each time he's on. lol</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Anyway.... "Christmasy" it is for awhile. I have reached out to have help with both my last 2 blog backgrounds. This time around <a href="http://www.mastomamadesigns.com/"><b>Masto Mama Designs</b></a> helped me, and she was great to work with. I love color and patterns and fonts and eventually I want to figure out how to create my backgrounds for myself.... but for now it intimidates me a wee bit too much! </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Santa... if you are reading this Photo Shop would come in really handy for this! xoxo</span></i><br />
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<center style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://s583.photobucket.com/albums/ss280/rasingreid/?action=view&current=cherisig.png" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i583.photobucket.com/albums/ss280/rasingreid/cherisig.png" /></a></center>Cherihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08644571627468626304noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6498941347207789497.post-81853540912533144592011-11-14T18:04:00.000-08:002011-11-14T23:44:20.677-08:00"Daddy and Mommy Welcome You................. To Life"<center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The tiny TEN POUND... 9 year old little girl I mentioned </span><a href="http://raisingreid.blogspot.com/2011/11/one-thing-i-would-want-to-share.html"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">here</span></b></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">... Her name is Katerina and I read today that she is finally with her Forever Family.... finally she is coming home to start her life. She finally has a family of her own to love her and care for her and tell her how precious she is... </span></center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Actually her mom's words which put a frog in my throat read as..."Tiny daughter, come with us.... Daddy and Mommy welcome you to </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">life</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">". </span></center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Today is a good, good day!</span></center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Katerina, we celebrate with you and your family today!</span></center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">To read her story go </span><a href="http://theblessingofverity.com/2011/11/and-great-shall-be-the-peace-of-your-children/"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">here</span></b></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">.</span></center><center style="text-align: left;"><br />
</center><center style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://s583.photobucket.com/albums/ss280/rasingreid/?action=view&current=cherisig.png" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i583.photobucket.com/albums/ss280/rasingreid/cherisig.png" /></a></center>Cherihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08644571627468626304noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6498941347207789497.post-74293575729798450612011-11-13T08:47:00.000-08:002011-11-13T16:09:53.303-08:00Please Consider Sponsoring an Orphan...<center><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">A few days ago when I wrote this post, </span><a href="http://raisingreid.blogspot.com/2011/11/one-thing-i-would-want-to-share.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>ONE Thing I Would Want to Share</b></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">, I had some people email me to see if I wanted help with raising awareness and funds for 1 orphan in particular?... and this is my answer, in case you read it too and were wondering....</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">As a family when we first learned of </span><a href="http://static.reecesrainbow.org/angeltreekids/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>Reece's Rainbow</b></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> a few years ago we scanned the site and found </span><a href="http://static.reecesrainbow.org/angeltreekids/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>a little one to sponsor</b>.</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">..actually Luke was our official "picker-outer". So, if that is what you want to do as a family as well...to get your children involved, by all means please do!! I think it is meaningful and powerful for children to understand about compassion and how they can help.</span><br />
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">AND</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">....Just as a little clarification in case this is the first time you have heard of Reece's Rainbow, the money you donate whether at Christmas or anytime of the year does NOT</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">go to feeding the orphans... or clothing them...or making their orphanages more livable........ the money LITERALLY goes to paying the children's "randsom" so to speak to getting them the heck out of there and into a family's arms. The money goes directly to the child's adoption fund.... which you can watch grow right on the site.</span></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MuxgKwfa9D4/Tr_oP3yqyvI/AAAAAAAADTw/XmPZxEnIhPg/s1600/Robert-edit-sm1-225x300.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MuxgKwfa9D4/Tr_oP3yqyvI/AAAAAAAADTw/XmPZxEnIhPg/s400/Robert-edit-sm1-225x300.jpg" width="300" /></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">This year little </span><a href="http://reecesrainbow.org/17790/robert507"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>Robert</b></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> from Eastern Europe grabbed Luke's heart... a little boy who will be turning 2 this December who only has $133 at this moment towards his adoption fees, which run about $25,000. </span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">What's unique about donating at Christmas time is that when you donate $35 dollars or more you also receive a Christmas ornament with the child's picture on it...as a special reminder of the little one you have helped. </span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">If you would like to help us raise funds for </span><a href="http://reecesrainbow.org/17790/robert507"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>Robert</b></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> we would love it (click on his name and it will direct you to his donation page) ....I like the idea of a group of people banning together to make a difference... putting our $35 together to make a bigger impact</span><br />
<div style="text-align: left;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">On face book I stated it this way, </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">"</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I have 344 friends on facebook, if we all sponsored 1 child we could raise over $12,000 (which is about 1/2 of the adoption fees needed) and I am sure we would never even miss that $35".</span></i></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;">A little bit really does and can go a long way... ;)</span></span></div><a href="http://s583.photobucket.com/albums/ss280/rasingreid/?action=view&current=cherisig.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><br />
</a><a href="http://s583.photobucket.com/albums/ss280/rasingreid/?action=view&current=cherisig.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i583.photobucket.com/albums/ss280/rasingreid/cherisig.png" /></a></center>Cherihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08644571627468626304noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6498941347207789497.post-36611642120932957272011-11-11T19:26:00.000-08:002011-11-12T23:14:14.048-08:00Thank You.... Veterans!<center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Thank you</b> to my dad, Lee, and to my father-in-law Roger, and my uncles Alan, Dennis, Steve, Gary, Jim, and Larry (my Grandma had 4 of her 7 sons serve in the Vietnam War), Toby's uncles Den and Rod, to my brother-in-law Brian, and my nephew Brian Jr. ..... who have all served our country. We are so grateful for your sacrifices! You are my 12 favorite veterans.... but we are also grateful for your friends that you served shoulder to shoulder with. xoxo</span></span></center><center style="text-align: left;"><br />
</center><center style="text-align: left;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/DWrMeBR8W-c" width="560"></iframe></center><center style="text-align: left;"><br />
</center><center style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://s583.photobucket.com/albums/ss280/rasingreid/?action=view&current=cherisig.png" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i583.photobucket.com/albums/ss280/rasingreid/cherisig.png" /></a></center>Cherihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08644571627468626304noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6498941347207789497.post-2858226017719523512011-11-09T23:04:00.000-08:002011-11-13T09:08:25.431-08:00ONE Thing I Would Want to Share...<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dmuKvFJgemE/TrtxyeSKCyI/AAAAAAAADSk/5fA_z_rH8Xc/s1600/270518_2216310374338_1444974841_2568979_7147924_n.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5673253267539888930" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dmuKvFJgemE/TrtxyeSKCyI/AAAAAAAADSk/5fA_z_rH8Xc/s400/270518_2216310374338_1444974841_2568979_7147924_n.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: right; height: 400px; margin: 0 0 10px 10px; width: 300px;" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">October was Down Syndrome Awareness Month. I usually participate in trying to blog each day of the month in October but this year.... I did not blog as I have in previous years </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">(you can click on any of these years </span></span><b><a href="http://raisingreid.blogspot.com/2008_10_01_archive.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">2008</span></span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">, </span></span><a href="http://raisingreid.blogspot.com/2009_10_01_archive.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">2009</span></span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">, </span></span><a href="http://raisingreid.blogspot.com/2010_10_01_archive.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">2010</span></span></span></a></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> to find previous Down syndrome Awareness posts if you'd like).</span></span></i><br />
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</center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">However, if there was <b>ONE</b> thing I would want to share ...to bring awareness to, is that if any one of us were to hop in a plane...fly a little over half a day away.... we would step foot backwards in time in terms of acceptance for a child like my son. My son Reid would have no place in many eastern European countries. He would be tossed aside as worthless. He would be sent away right after birth to an orphanage where his outlook would be grim and no one to love him. If I tried to keep my son I would be ostracized by my community. His only hope would be to be adopted, and if that did not occur by the time he was 4 he would be sent to an institution where his care would be even grimmer. I have seen videos of such institutions and been just gutted by what I saw.... and because my brain cannot fathom that type of treatment I rationalized that that must not be true...or that only happens in very few places and they must be 3rd world countries... but the truth is it does happen, in fact there is a family trying to adopt a little girl from one of these institutions right now who is 9 years old....and she weighs 10 pounds. TEN POUNDS. My heart and head cannot comprehend that. Why??.... because she was born with an extra chromosome, like my son. THAT. IS. SO. WRONG. ....How can they not know that is wrong? How can they not see the beauty in these precious children? </span></span></center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br />
</span></span></center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">There is a mom here in the US who after her son Reece was born with Down syndrome learned of the tragedy I wrote of above.... and she was moved to action, because these children just like her son...just like my son, deserve so much more. She started a non profit organization called <a href="http://reecesrainbow.org/"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Reece's Rainbow</span></b></a> that helps raise funds for families who are wanting to adopt these children...to re-write their life story, to give them a home to call their own and a family to love them and show them they are valued and precious. In five years Reece's Rainbow has helped over 500 children find their Forever Families... unbelievable, I am so grateful she followed her heart to help make a difference!! Here in the United States there are waiting lists to adopt children born with Down syndrome, thank you USA for getting it, for valuing life...but for our little friends oceans away it is not the same, they do not have people in their country waiting to adopt them.... and they need our help.</span></span></center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br />
</span></span></center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Reece's Rainbow is kicking off their annual Christmas Angel Tree Fundraiser, where they raise money to go directly into the children's adoption funds. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">When you donate</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #009900;"><b>$35 or more</b></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">, you will recieve a beautiful photo ornament of your sponsored child to hang on your tree. This is a very special way to "share Christmas" with an orphaned child. The goal is to help raise at least $1,000 for each child. </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Click </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><a href="http://static.reecesrainbow.org/angeltreekids/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">here</span></a><a href="http://static.reecesrainbow.org/angeltreekids/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"> </span></a></span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">to see the faces of these precious little ones needing our help, waiting for their "Forever Families" and watch their funds grow as we together raise awareness of this tremendous need. </span></span></center><br />
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</span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #525252; line-height: 18px;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">How incredible to be able to make a donation that LITERALLY will help save a life. ...And what a great message to share with your children. </span></span><br />
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</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Please consider sharing about Reece's Rainbow and The Christmas Angel Tree Fundraiser if you have a blog, or on facebook..... you never know just how far your </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">efforts could go, you may know someone who can make an incredible difference in one or more of these children's lives. </span><br />
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<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Can you imagine my Reid in an orphanage? It is so unfathomable to me.... </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><center><a href="http://static.reecesrainbow.org/angeltreekids"><img src="http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s62/WilliamtheOutlaw/AT2011/at2011.png" width="100%" /></a><br />
<a href="http://static.reecesrainbow.org/angeltreekids">Grab This!</a></center></span><br />
<center style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://s583.photobucket.com/albums/ss280/rasingreid/?action=view&current=cherisig.png" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i583.photobucket.com/albums/ss280/rasingreid/cherisig.png" /></a></center></div></div>Cherihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08644571627468626304noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6498941347207789497.post-35329755406135499312011-10-30T11:36:00.000-07:002011-10-30T11:38:52.899-07:00Words to Live By.....<center style="text-align: left;"><div style="padding-bottom: 2px; line-height: 0px"><a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/399219417/" target="_blank"><img src="http://d30opm7hsgivgh.cloudfront.net/upload/163044448979223090_06DOZ238_c.jpg" border="0" width="553" height="738" /></a></div><div style="float: left; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px;"><p style="font-size: 10px; color: #76838b;">Source: <a style="text-decoration: underline; font-size: 10px; color: #76838b;" href="http://sassysites.blogspot.com/2011/08/ffa-and-giveaway.html">sassysites.blogspot.com</a> via <a style="text-decoration: underline; font-size: 10px; color: #76838b;" href="http://pinterest.com/amandaandbrady/" target="_blank">Amanda</a> on <a style="text-decoration: underline; color: #76838b;" href="http://pinterest.com" target="_blank">Pinterest</a></p></div></center><center style="text-align: left;"><br /></center><center style="text-align: left;"><br /></center><center style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://s583.photobucket.com/albums/ss280/rasingreid/?action=view&current=cherisig.png" target="_blank"><img src="http://i583.photobucket.com/albums/ss280/rasingreid/cherisig.png" border="0" alt="Photobucket" /></a></center>Cherihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08644571627468626304noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6498941347207789497.post-39152484596797069812011-10-24T23:55:00.000-07:002011-10-25T18:59:21.203-07:00Potty Goggles....<div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Potty goggles are the new thing in my house! They came about quite by accident and quite spontaneously.....and are my newest attempt to get my littlest love fully potty trained... once. and. for. all!!! This little rascal can use the potty...he knows how to use the potty... but he resists. You ask him if he has to go to the potty and he replies, "No fanks"....or quite curtly exclaims, "I dry!!" when it is quite evident that his pull up is bursting at the seams with peeps.</span></span></div><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></center><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_Ydv62OG9HA/TqdnB71T6dI/AAAAAAAADSA/BtwOnzyoOwc/s400/PA251135.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5667611939007883730" style="float: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">The other day I popped him on the potty and he kept trying to get off...so I had to pull something out of my arsenal of tricks. Out of nowhere I decided to do the o'l turn your hands into goggles thing and I heard myself say the words..."Look at my pee pee goggles, mommy wants to see the pee pee in the potty" Seriously people...you know a mom is in a state of MEGA desperation when she is saying words like..."Pee pee goggles" and "Let me see the pee pee...". BUT..... I got a giggle out of him. You get the kiddo to giggle and he is putty in your hands.... he stopped trying to squirm off the toilet and lo and behold he honored my wishes and through my fisted goggles pee pee was spotted and he was very proud of himself. Brother heard the commotion and of course he too had to make the fisted goggles....which then led itself to a basket of real goggles now ready for its purpose when the "need" arises!</span></span></center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">We shall see how long this will last...so far so good! A.N.Y.T.H.I.N.G...... to get this milestone checked off our list! ;)</span></span></center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><br /></span></span></center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">Help a sistah out, I'd love to hear what is in your.... arsenal of potty training tricks!!</span></span></center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></center><center style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-huEeOgg3bkE/Tqdm4GMu1II/AAAAAAAADR0/gzt4S68L5SI/s1600/PA251132.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-huEeOgg3bkE/Tqdm4GMu1II/AAAAAAAADR0/gzt4S68L5SI/s400/PA251132.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5667611769991779458" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></a><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BYc1cmJzLWs/Tqdm3hdGz2I/AAAAAAAADRo/1wmQ_gAyACY/s1600/PA251131.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BYc1cmJzLWs/Tqdm3hdGz2I/AAAAAAAADRo/1wmQ_gAyACY/s400/PA251131.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5667611760128348002" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></a></center><div><br /></div><center style="text-align: left;"><br /></center><center style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://s583.photobucket.com/albums/ss280/rasingreid/?action=view&current=cherisig.png" target="_blank"><img src="http://i583.photobucket.com/albums/ss280/rasingreid/cherisig.png" border="0" alt="<span class=" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6" /></a></center>Cherihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08644571627468626304noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6498941347207789497.post-35665431983616753632011-09-18T21:30:00.000-07:002011-09-18T23:06:02.139-07:00Living What I Dreamed....<div style="text-align: center;"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 315px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-A2NmaXGC77U/TnbGYYXHGRI/AAAAAAAADQQ/QH9j2u3Xtpg/s400/P9181085.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5653924504368781586" /></div><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">This weekend I stumbled upon a song that moved me.... actually I guess you could say I had a weekend that moved me, and refreshed me, and softly reminded me that I am living my dream... and finding this song sealed that beautiful sacred weekend for me with its words... Dream by Priscilla Ahn (now located on my music list below).</span></span></center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Shortly after Toby and I were married we purchased the Thomas Kinkade painting to the left... we were starting our marriage, dreamed of a family...and a home to call our own. I have stared at that painting many times through the years...and loved the homey, coziness is exudes and the love I imagined that welcomes you as you walk through the door. Pregnant with Luke I would look at it and dream of the baby that was to make us a family of 3..and then along came Reid. All part of a plan.... all part of a dream. </span></span></center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">I really cannot put into words what this weekend was for me...but it was good, it was full, it was fireplaces and candles and "fall is in the air" ish...it was rich with simple family time and there were times I found myself pulling out my camera to snap pictures of my boys just because somehow I wanted to capture the moments this weekend possessed. As I took those pictures I consciously felt like life had seized into a slow motion time frame...no sound, just slow movements and what I saw was smiles and laughter and Luke being silly and looking oh so grown up and sitting proudly next to his dad that he loves with all his heart and Reid being sweet and silly and quirky in his way that makes us all laugh out loud and then scoop him up just to drink him in.... I drank him in...I drank my family in in a way that my soul needed this weekend. </span></span></center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">I dreamed of this.</span></span></center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">I am grateful for the home we have built...and the love that envelopes me as I walk in the door...and the reverence to know it was part of a plan for me.</span></span></center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><br /></span></center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><i><br /></i></span></span></center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><i>Lyrics from the song:</i></span></span></center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></center><center style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">I was a little girl alone in my little world who dreamed of a little home for me. </span></span></center><center style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-size:medium;">I played pretend between the trees, and fed my houseguests bark and leaves, and laughed in my pretty bed of green. </span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">I had a dream </div><div style="text-align: center;">That I could fly from the highest swing. </div><div style="text-align: center;">I had a dream. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Long walks in the dark through woods grown behind the park, I asked God who I'm supposed to be. </div></span></span></center><center style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Arial, Helvetica, 'Times New Roman';"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:georgia;font-size:medium;">The stars smiled down on me, God answered in silent reverie. I said a prayer and fell asleep. </span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><div style="text-align: center;">I had a dream </div><div style="text-align: center;">That I could fly from the highest tree. </div><div style="text-align: center;">I had a dream. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Now I'm old and feeling grey. I don't know what's left to say about this life I'm willing to leave. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">I lived it full and I lived it well, there's many tales I've lived to tell. I'm ready now, I'm ready now, I'm ready now to fly from the highest wing. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">I had a dream</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-s4Ke-3-BQEY/TnbX6c6sfJI/AAAAAAAADRg/Bk-IFuE50W0/s400/IMG_20110918_072152.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5653943781404998802" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px; font-family: Georgia, serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; " /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; font-family:Georgia, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Georgia, serif;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kmgKZ0WlLbU/TnbVYmEtnPI/AAAAAAAADQg/OF1-ADeoIQ8/s1600/P9171082.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Uqz1oyT9Qh0/TnbVYVrV89I/AAAAAAAADQY/UTTGV3vT9gM/s400/P9161077.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5653940996322751442" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px; " /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Georgia, serif;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kmgKZ0WlLbU/TnbVYmEtnPI/AAAAAAAADQg/OF1-ADeoIQ8/s1600/P9171082.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kmgKZ0WlLbU/TnbVYmEtnPI/AAAAAAAADQg/OF1-ADeoIQ8/s400/P9171082.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5653941000724126962" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px; " /></a><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div></span></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Georgia, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fIDeiGgFZqc/TnbXcT0tC8I/AAAAAAAADQ4/7KDBfcaXpys/s400/IMG_20110918_184933.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5653943263567875010" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 299px; " /></span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Georgia, serif;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><br /></span></div></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Georgia, serif;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FhJxbYLVzQE/TnbXdUN0s-I/AAAAAAAADRQ/sJ8JQPFcb74/s1600/IMG_20110918_184648_2.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FhJxbYLVzQE/TnbXdUN0s-I/AAAAAAAADRQ/sJ8JQPFcb74/s400/IMG_20110918_184648_2.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5653943280853103586" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 331px; height: 400px; " /></a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Georgia, serif;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Georgia, serif;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WHHyjBcmd1o/TnbXdJ0VkkI/AAAAAAAADRI/K84-GlSAclk/s1600/IMG_20110918_184654.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WHHyjBcmd1o/TnbXdJ0VkkI/AAAAAAAADRI/K84-GlSAclk/s400/IMG_20110918_184654.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5653943278061851202" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 299px; " /></a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Georgia, serif;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Georgia, serif;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WGaHoFjISzU/TnbXcnaiymI/AAAAAAAADRA/ZHngMH-2BMg/s1600/IMG_20110918_184701.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WGaHoFjISzU/TnbXcnaiymI/AAAAAAAADRA/ZHngMH-2BMg/s400/IMG_20110918_184701.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5653943268826860130" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 299px; " /></a></span></div></span></span></span></center><center style="text-align: center;"><br /></center><center style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://s583.photobucket.com/albums/ss280/rasingreid/?action=view&current=cherisig.png" target="_blank"><img src="http://i583.photobucket.com/albums/ss280/rasingreid/cherisig.png" border="0" alt="Photobucket" /></a></center>Cherihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08644571627468626304noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6498941347207789497.post-66230094047796585532011-08-24T00:04:00.000-07:002011-08-24T00:31:24.430-07:00"The Class List" ...What If A Child with Special Needs Is In Your Child's Class?....<img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 395px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WcawZ3rreWs/Tk9NP04bjgI/AAAAAAAADI4/NxcwlIefBzo/s400/IMG_1301.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5642813792407227906" /><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">This post is something that has been rattling around in my head for the last week....</span></span></div><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">
<br /></span></span></center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">For the last week I have been thinking about "The Class List...."</span></span></center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">
<br /></span></span></center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">It is almost time for school to resume...all the back to school commercials are playing round the clock, new clothes and backpacks and folders are being bought...and the ever exciting day that the "class lists" will be posted up on the office windows are soon to arrive. I don't know about you but I LOVED that day...COULDN'T wait for that day. I'd roller skate up to the school to check out the lists and hope that at least one bestie was in the same class as me...then I'd dream of what the new school year would hold.</span></span></center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">
<br /></span></span></center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">The class list held a lot of weight as to what kind of year it would be for a kid... Spot the school bully on your list? Well, you knew you'd have to watch your back.... Spot the booger picker? You made a mental note to sit on the far side of the room away from them... Spot the cute kid you'd had a secret crush on on the list? ...You went home to spiff up your wardrobe. Yes indeed, it held a lot of weight, that class list.</span></span></center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">
<br /></span></span></center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">But, WHAT IF you were a parent standing there next to your child scanning the lists with them and </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">you</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> notice a name...and know it to be of a child with special needs. What would your initial thoughts be? ..I'm talking your true, honest, quiet thoughts in your head that you might not share out...</span></span></center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">
<br /></span></span></center><center style="text-align: left;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">
<br /></span></span></i></center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">Would it be,</span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> "Good for them for "Fully Including" their child"?</span></span></i></center><center style="text-align: left;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">
<br /></span></span></i></center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">Would it be,</span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> "I think this is good, my child will learn from this experience".</span></span></i></center><center style="text-align: left;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">
<br /></span></span></i></center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">Would it be,</span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> "Oh yay, we love __insert child's name___!"</span></span></i></center><center style="text-align: left;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">
<br /></span></span></i></center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">
<br /></span></span></center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">Or would it be......</span></span></center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">
<br /></span></center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">
<br /></span></span></center><center style="text-align: left;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">"This is terrible, kids with special needs belong in special ed classes!"</span></span></i></center><center style="text-align: left;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">
<br /></span></span></i></center><center style="text-align: left;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">"Having this child in class is going to rob my child of their education because the teacher is going to have to spend so much attention on them!"</span></span></i></center><center style="text-align: left;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">
<br /></span></span></i></center><center style="text-align: left;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">"I'm going to complain, I don't want that kid in class with my kid!"</span></span></i></center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">
<br /></span></span></center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">
<br /></span></span></center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">One if not all three of those last responses belong to an entire group of parents in the next county over from me. A few years ago there was a situation where a little girl with Down syndrome was going to be fully included into one of the kindergarten classes on campus. "Fully Included" means she would school the entire day in a "general education" class from beginning to end just like everyone else assigned to that class...whereas if someone were to be "Mainstreamed" that means that for part of their day they would mainstream into the general ed class setting say for art or science or some subject but the remainder of their day would be with a special ed class. At any rate....this little girl was going to be fully included into the kindergarten classroom... and she showed up on the "class list". </span></span></center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">
<br /></span></span></center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">In response, the parents of the children who would also be in that classroom were upset....felt their child's education was going to be harmed and started a petition NOT to have her allowed in their child's class. This is seriously what happened, parent after parent signed their name to that petition... just down the road from me a hop and a skip and just a few years ago. The school got the petition, the school buckled under the pressure....and the parent had to fight for her to stay on that class list. Her parents had to take it to the district level, argue their case, and remind them that their daughter had a legal right to school in that class. Their point was made and the little girl was allowed to remain in that class. </span></span></center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">
<br /></span></span></center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">As I type... I can just imagine that confrontation this family had to face with essentially their own "neighbors" in the neighborhood who were rejecting their child.... I would feel so kicked in the gut by my community. I am proud of the little girl's parents for holding their head high and fighting for what was right for their daughter. In the end, the family did not start her in that particular kindergarten...where her parents would need to stand shoulder to shoulder at drop off and pick up each day with all the parents who signed the petition not to allow their child in class... They fought their fight, made their point, and then enrolled their child at a different school where she was embraced. I can't say I blame them under the circumstance.</span></span></center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">
<br /></span></span></center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">Grown adults can be cruel, we can be uninformed, we can hold onto harmful biases, we can be arrogant and seclusive and insensitive. ....and sometimes we don't even realize we are being this way.</span></span></center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">
<br /></span></span></center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">
<br /></span></span></center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">For those of you thinking... maybe those "petition" parents were right...maybe she would of robbed the other kids of their education". My response would be.... "Where is the evidence of that?"...they never gave the little girl the chance to prove her abilities...she was shot down because of unfounded parental fears before she even got to start her first day of school. In many cases children who are Fully Included are given full time aides beginning in kindergarten, so had she needed extra assistance she would have had her aide. This little girl would not have robbed anyone's child of their education. The thing however that most certainly was robbed was for the opportunity for "their" children to learn about acceptance and compassion and differences in a very real way..lessons that cannot be taught from a text book the way </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">loving</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> and </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">accepting</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> a peer would. </span></span></center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">
<br /></span></span></center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">What about the response... "Kids with special needs belong in special ed classes?" My response would be, "Not necessarily, depends on the child and the child's needs...". To say they should ONLY be in special ed classes would be putting a child in a box and dare I make the comparison would be like me telling you your tall, skinny kid belongs only on the basketball team. What if baseball was actually a better fit for him, far be it from me to deny him that....nor the room to allow him to grow in that sport. There are beautiful special education classes and there are beautiful general education classes with teachers who welcome working with a child with special needs. Each special needs child has different needs and believe me, parents think long and hard about the choices for their child's education..... and those decisions are best placed in the hands of the parents who know their child best and the team of specialists and school administrators who form his/her team....not insensitive petition signing parents, that's for sure. </span></span></center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">
<br /></span></span></center><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5ezT2oRzvTU/TlCk2orSPPI/AAAAAAAADJI/EMepj_9DSj8/s400/P1271424.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5643191591634091250" style="float: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px; " /></span><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">Why do parents choose to Fully Include? ....Sometimes it is because they feel their child would benefit from the role models their "typically developing peers" would be for them, sometimes it is because they feel their child can learn right along with the other children (and they can), sometimes it is because they feel that the high expectations that would be held for that child would motivate them to reach beyond their limitations, sometimes it is because their typically developing peers would be hugely beneficial for them in regards to speech modeling or perhaps even social modeling. </span></span></center><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">
<br /></span></div><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">So, we take that step for our child and hope that we are not met with parents who respond as the group I had mentioned above. And as we stand there shoulder to shoulder at pick up and drop off and we see parents smile lovingly at our child... or they comment about how glad they are that our child is in class with their child... or comment on how well they did something.... or reassure you when a naughty incident happens that all kids have naughty moments.... I cannot even begin to tell you how much those words mean, truly....... they. mean. so. much! </span></span></center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">
<br /></span></span></center><img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-23810G-Nkf8/TlSf5GZmLgI/AAAAAAAADQI/Knl2LLo_Igk/s400/P4210036.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5644312036321406466" style="float: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px; color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; " /><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">So IF a child with special needs does indeed end up on your child's class list and you have reservations about it.... please watch and see, you just may be surprised, your pre-conceived ideas just might change.... and the words of encouragement you might even find yourself sharing with the child's parent... will make you both feel great. And... if all those things just mentioned do occur, well then I hope your child ends up on MY child's "class list"!</span></span></center><center style="text-align: left;">
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<br /></center><center style="text-align: left;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">** Disclaimer: Sometimes, we as parents feel that mainstreaming might be better for our child, or it might be better for our child to school solely in a special ed class..... all those options are beautiful options if and when it is the right fit for our child, and we'll know when it is. I don't want anyone to get the impression that I am saying we as special needs parents are failing if we choose not to "Fully Include", that is not what I am saying or how I feel at all. </span></span></i></center><center style="text-align: left; ">
<br /></center><center style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://s583.photobucket.com/albums/ss280/rasingreid/?action=view&current=cherisig.png" target="_blank"><img src="http://i583.photobucket.com/albums/ss280/rasingreid/cherisig.png" border="0" alt="Photobucket" /></a></center>Cherihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08644571627468626304noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6498941347207789497.post-18075467153958445152011-08-08T20:26:00.000-07:002011-08-26T22:29:06.635-07:00I LUHH OO TOO = I Love You Too<div style="text-align: center;"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HhQqIDvQ4i8/TkCxp9n1A3I/AAAAAAAADII/Uha_npcJfEU/s400/P7230918.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5638702067942228850" border="0" /></div><center style="text-align: left; font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">One of the things that comes with Down syndrome is delayed speech... to be honest I cannot prattle off the medical reasoning for this, though I know I should, I've just always known to expect this and so we have had Reid in speech therapy since he was about 20 months old. As any of us traveling this road know the milestones our kids with Down syndrome achieve feel that much sweeter for us because we know it takes our kids a wee bit longer, so when Reid started to call me "Bob" at about 18 months....well, it was about the sweetest word I had ever heard! I loved finally being something..and "Bob" worked just fine! </span></span></center><center style="text-align: left; font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">
<br /></span></span></center><center style="text-align: left; font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">Nowadays I am Mom... sometimes Momma, and quite often </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">MOMMM</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">!!! when he is in demand</span></span></center><img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_-4uTvtZazc/TkCze4niYfI/AAAAAAAADIQ/U716oWi8HCA/s400/P7080816.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5638704076643525106" style="float: right; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px; color: rgb(0, 0, 238);" border="0" /><center style="text-align: left; font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> of something! Yes, we have moved away from Bob, as bitter sweet as that is. But lately Reid has begun saying something else that takes the cake..... he has begun to respond to the words "I love you" with the sweetest sounding "I uhh oo too". Hello... melt me right there! Not only is he saying 4 words but the last one...the word too, means he gets that it is reciprocal, you know what I mean? That is huge to me... speech wise and cognitively! </span></span></center><center style="text-align: left; font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">
<br /></span></span></center><center style="text-align: left; font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">Reid.... is a funny little guy, he just is, he has a personality that cracks you up whether it is with his quirky spontaneous dance moves, his silly facial expressions, or his quick get away after stealing one of Luke's prize possessions and never looking back as he books away. He is just plain funny I tell ya, so I can only imagine once he gets his words about him the funny things that he will say. I think I got a glimpse of it the other day.... I heard him putting the milk jug away in the fridge when I was in the other room and to himself mind you... and the milk jug apparently, he said, "Bye....see oo soon!" .....to the milk jug! He stinkin told the milk jug he would see him/her soon! ...aghhhh, I love this kid!
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<br /></span></span><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">Other common phrases that we hear around here on a daily basis from him are:
<br /></span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">
<br />"Help you...." = Help me (with whatever task he is working on... or attempting and needs help with)
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<br />"I. Want. Ice. Keam" = I want ice cream... and all the while he is patting his chest and says each word slow and methodically, hence the periods in between each word.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">
<br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">"Ha...ha...I idea!!"= A-ha, I have an idea... while holding his little finger in the air and then he proceeds to show you what his idea is.... usually either ice cream in the freezer he wants you to get out for him or take you to the play room to find a new toy</span>
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<br />And just last week Reid gathered all 4 of us in the kitchen and huddled us together.... then, proceeded to clasp his little hands together and said, "God. Ank you. Miss Katie. Sharwol. fwrends. Bodie. Mafwew. Amen." Holy toledo..... my heart swelled a hundred times its size! This guy all on his own decided we all needed to pray for his teachers from last year Miss Katie and Miss Sharyl, his friends, and especially his buddies Bodie and Matthew....
<br /></span></span></div></center><center style="text-align: left; font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">
<br /></span></span></center><center style="text-align: left; font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">....It may indeed take awhile, but words will make their way to my son's mouth... he will say grand things one day! ....I just know it.</span></span></center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">
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<br /></span></span></span></div><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><a href="http://s583.photobucket.com/albums/ss280/rasingreid/?action=view&current=cherisig.png" target="_blank"><img src="http://i583.photobucket.com/albums/ss280/rasingreid/cherisig.png" alt="<span class=" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7" border="0" /></a> </span></span></center>Cherihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08644571627468626304noreply@blogger.com6