Happy Fall...

So happy it's fall! This is the best time of year living in the country and the weather this week was great! The only bummer is that our woods are thinning out which means that we can now see our neighbors again. And, I swear it means that we can hear our neighbors rooster more...yup, we have a neighbor with a rooster. I know I'm a stupid city kid but, I really thought they only crowed (is that the right term?) in the morning...no they don't. Since Rick was gone I had these grand ideas that I would get a bunch of stuff done around the house...yeah that was a good plan! Instead I went shopping...If you are driving around southern MN checking out the leaves changing there is a really cool funky gift shop in New Prague...Mosaic Alley, check it out (thanks, Lorie!!). Since I still had the fall shopping bug Mom and I went to the old barn boutique. This place is such a cool way to start out fall...it's a bunch of crafters that set-up shop in this old barn for a week...and I bought that cute little pumpkin! Come on admit it, it makes you smile when you look at it! Okay, here's the bummer part, we then went to a bunch of antique stores which is normally a great time and still was except for the fact that we kept finding toys I had as a kid. I think that is a life moment when you realize you are actually an antique (you'd think that the 40 candles on my last birthday cake would have been a clue). After that I really needed some lunch (old and fat...good combo) So, we went to an old feed mill with a view of a creek (with changing leaves) and a waitress who's probably got about 40 years experience...they rock (the leaves and the waitress). Please note I called her a waitress and not a "server" here's why. When you've been shelling out beef commercials for more years than you'd like to count you're a waitress and proud of it...if you are working at Applebees for extra cash you're a server. Either way, it's a tough job so, show 'em some love next time you're figuring out a tip! Okay, I'll quit boring you and go enjoy my weekend and my husband 'cause HE'S HOME...WOO HOO!!! Our house is loud and goofy once again and it's a beautiful thing!!

Single Parenting...Uggghhhh!

I can't believe I'm posting a picture with me in it but, this is a special post to Rick who is working in Jerome, Idaho this week...WE MISS YOU AND I SUCK AS A SINGLE PARENT! Hats off to all the single parents out there...I have no idea how you do it! I've been at this for three days and even the dog (who, by the way, is medicated) is counting the minutes until he comes home! Okay, I know the dog can't count but if she could she would be. And here's the kicker I don't even have a job so, you think I could manage for a few days...nope, not happen'! A little bit of an update...Sam's "Stitch" is doing fine...I'm hoping we can manage to not screw this up. No more plastic surgery for this kid! Note: for those of you who don't know, the last time Sam had a gash (which was on his forhead) the emergency room used that super glue stuff which then got infected and led to plastic surgery at Gillette's Children's Hospital in St. Paul....not one of my finer mother moments! Jenna was sick AGAIN this week and had to stay home from school because she had a fever on Sunday and sniffles on Monday. And last, but not least Chayley is back on medication because she licked her paws red again. This entire family is in desperate need of a major frost...come on Mother Nature give us a break, would ya??? Happy Wednesday everyone and note to Rick...No, I didn't forget to put the garbage out.

The Pluto-Goofy Debate-UPDATE!

Hey everyone! Our friend Liz sent this reply to Jenna's Pluto/Goofy question...it's nice to have friends in the "know"!

~ Jenna - Pluto and Goofy are both dogs....just different kinds. The big question around Disney is this....if they are both dogs, why does Goofy walk only walk on his hind legs and talk, when Pluto walks on all fours and doesn't talk?!?! Just one of the many Disney magical questions to ponder!!! :)

Thanks Liz! Jenna felt better that even the great minds of Disney don't have all the answers...what a magical world!

THANK YOU SO MUCH!!

Thank you to all who have donated to the autism walk...we are blown away by all the support. And the support from our community has been awesome. There's still time so, If you think of somebody who might want to help...send them here!

I wanted to share this scrapbook page I did for a contest sponsored by Technique Tuesday (a scrapbooking company) in support of autism research. This really cool company has been supporting Autism Speaks by donating proceeds from certain products and by starting a gallery of pages supporting kids with autism. No, I didn't win the contest but, I did win a set of stamps and free supplies are always a good thing.

As you can tell, one of my peeves is when people say Sam IS autistic...he is SO MUCH MORE than his disability. Autism is something he HAS and it really is only PART of who he is. Autism is a spectrum disorder which means every child affected by autism is different so, to lump them all together doesn't paint the right picture. The quote on the picture is: The only way to discover the limits of the possible is to go beyond them into the impossible by Arthur C. Clarke.

If you want to check out the products and the gallery (my page is there) from Technique Tuesday just click here http://www.techniquetuesday.com

Happy Sunday!

The story begins on Saturday when Dad starts watching BMX bike riders on T.V. You know the ones where they are jumping off GIANT ramps and do oh, I don't know, three or four flips before landing...sounds cool right? Well, SAM sure thought so...I believe his words were something like "I should try that!". So, what does Dad do? He configures some sort of mini ramp for him to "jump" off of...obviously I'm NOT HOME! All of this ends harmlessly enough before I get home...no bruises, no cuts, no nothin'. Fast forward to Sunday...Dad's at work and Sam is riding his bike around the house, up and down the drive way...nothing major. And most importantly there were no "ramps" in sight...sounds harmless, right? WRONG! Next thing I know Sam's crying walking his bike up the driveway, blood running down his leg and a gash under is knee. The crying stops in about a minute and the blood stops about the same time but, the gash seems a little wide...urgent care here we come. After a few hours of enjoying the ambiance of the St. Francis Regional Medical Center Sam gets ONE stitch while screaming bloody murder throughout the process...seriously you would have thought they were amputating his leg! I'm not sure I emphasized that enough it was ONE STITCH...ONE LOUSY STITCH. Then after anouncing, to no one in particular, on his way out how brave he ways (you've got to be kidding me!) we headed to Dairy Queen 'cause apparently that makes just about everything better.

HELP!

Let me set the stage for you...we are watching a Disney cartoon and the following question came from Jenna...If Pluto is a dog what is Goofy? I yanked the following answers from thin air that did not work for her. #1-He is also a dog. When that failed I said this: maybe he was just a different kind of dog? Nope, that didn't work either. So, we thought we would ask all of you what you thought...please leave your answer in the comment section if you would like to play along! And Liz if you are reading this we will hold you as the ultimate authority being that you are a LONG TIME Disney cast member. Thanks everyone!

Sue's World...part 1

I don't have too much to say about any one thing so, I thought I would just babble on about trivial or not so trivial little things going on in my world...read on at your own risk!

1. As you can see from my art table (bet, you were just dying to see what that looked like) I haven't exactly been scrapbooking a whole lot lately. No real reason just not feeling all that creative, in fact, Rick had to help me finish the last page I did (kinda scary, huh?). The pile of pictures just gets bigger and bigger...I did start a page (it's at the bottom) but, I kinda lost steam and it's been that way for a few days. This is just so sad...maybe I'll go dig around in there later or maybe I'll just sneak a peanut butter m & m out of the candy dish...wish me luck!

2. School - Week three - Things are going pretty good, no one's sick, they both passed their spelling pre-test and Jenna somehow managed to convince Sam that he should have the chef's salad for lunch...my bet is he goes back to the chicken nuggets.

3. Speaking of school, I'm busy working on the book fair and the PTO sloppy joe feed before the homecoming game...yup, I'm the president-elect of the Park Elementary PTO (you can all start cheering now)! What does this mean? It means I'm too stupid to say NO! It's starting to get interesting, the current president see's the light at the end of the tunnel and she can't wait to start handing stuff over to me...she even threatend to leave early...good luck Sharon 'cause I have your phone number programmed into my phone and I know where you live!!!!!

4. Jenna started Girl Scouts this week...this is great for her but, I'm already developing cookie issues and will probably have to go back to re-hab for my thin mint addiction! Hey, anyone in need of cookies you know where to find me!

Okay, I really have to go now; I need to google "football temporary tatoos", give the dog a bath and throw in some laundry...don't ya wish you had my life?????