10 Spring Break Highlights #Monday Listicles

Our hostess Stasha suggested this week’s Listicles topic “10 Things Spring”. Since today started the second (and thankfully final week) of Riley’s spring break what better way to recap the highlights so far than with a Monday Listicles. So without further ado...10 Springbreak Highlights in Riley World:

Image from MorgueFile

1.      No school for 11 days (weekends excluded; Easter included).

2.      Usually reserved for weekends only, R slept on the hide-a-bed downstairs. Hey…he thinks this is a treat and I did put memory foam on top of the mattress to keep the springs from jabbing into him cuz I am an awesome autism mom.  

3.      No school.

4.      R slept in. 99% of the time he springs out of bed at 6:55 am on.the.dot for school. No alarm required. This past week he slept in until 7:03 am give or take a second or two.  :)

5.      No school.

6.      R had “lunch at home” every day…a bonus in Riley World. With R’s limited diet he usually cooks his lunch (wieners or perogies) at school. Last week he got to have…wait for it…wieners or perogies at home. G or I cooked them so I guess there was that. 

7.      No school.

8.      R had 2 pops (1-C-Plus Orange and 1-Sprite) almost every day. Holidays are like weekends in Riley World…well that was how he justified it. At almost 19, I guess I should consider myself lucky it was not 2 beers almost every day. Some definite plusses to Riley World.

9.      No school.

10.   AND…the absolute BEST thing about spring break in Riley World…drum roll please…NO SCHOOL!

Something tells me he will not be exactly excited to see this on the board when he goes back.

Image from FreeDigitalPhotos.net

What do you look forward to in the Spring? 

Team Strike Force!

Tonight was Riley’s year end banquet for his first season of Special Olympics 5-Pin Bowling and what a night it was.

Riley scored a turkey tonight!!!

First frame R won the first door prize of the night! A local professional sports team scarf. Looks like R may be following in J2’s lucky footsteps as G and I are anything but. 

Second frame Riley won the award for Most Improved Male Player with his average increasing by 54 from the beginning of the season. Woo-hooo!!

Third and final frame was THE award of the evening. Team Strike Force was the 2012-2013 League Champions!!! 

Doesn't R look happy?  If you only knew what it took to get this shot.  :)

What a way to finish off Riley’s first ever Special Olympics experience! 

R's got SOUL!!! (as In a Patch)

This was going to be a #WordlessWednesday post but I realized this pic needed a bit more of an explanation.  

It was a beautiful, sunny day yesterday and as we were driving home (as usual R was riding shotgun; G was in the back) I did a double-take at R's profile. There was something sticking out just below his bottom lip! WTH!?!

Of course when we got home I tried to take a pic. R was having nothing to do with that. So instead I found this pic of R's Movember Moustache (look how much it filled in) and did a little photoshopping of my own. It is the part in the yellow circle in case you couldn't tell.  :) 

I am SO not ready for this!

Husband Awesomeness...#Monday Listicles

When I told G this week’s Listicles topic “10 Ways Your Partner is Awesome” courtesy of The Bonny Bard his response was “only 10” followed by something along the lines of “well you’re going to write whatever you want anyways so why bother asking”. He had a point.

About a month ago G and I decided to gung out the back storage room. Amid all the junk I came across a few jewels from my past. Does anybody else remember 45’s???  And what about the little plastic insert you needed in order to play those 45’s?  Not sure who came up with THAT idea?!?  Anyways…I digress.

The reason I brought it up was I decided to put a spin (did you see what I did there…tee hee) on this week’s topic and go with a Side A and Side B to why G is awesome. Ready aaaannnd play:

1.      He lets me do all the cooking.

2.      He cleans up the aftermath.

Image from MorgueFile

3.      He lets me do all the laundry.

4.      He irons. For those who do not know what that is…a pic of an iron is over there on the right only now-a-days I hear they actually just plug in so are much easier to use.

5.      He lets me buy artificial plants for the garden because I hate dirt/bugs and my thumb is anything but green.

6.      He weeds and preps the flower beds for my artificials annuals.

7.      He lets me decide what to cook.  Every. Single. Night.

8.      He eats whatever I cook.  Every. Single. Night.

9.      He let me break-in introduce Riley (when he was younger) to new activities/routines. G had an even thinner skin than I did when we first started our adventures in Riley World. Perhaps it was my inner mama bear coming out that made the transition for me a little easier…wait. Who am I kidding? I am just way more awesome than G.  :)

10.   He takes Riley to most activities (especially the early morning ones) or on adventures so I can go grocery shopping  cook  have some time to myself. OK…guess he can be awesome sometimes too.  

Don't forget to pop over to read about everyone else's partner's awesomeness. Oi...that was an eye full.

Oh BTW...our hostess with the mostest Stasha was selected as the first EVER "Instaparent of the Month"!!! Couldn't think of a better choice. Congratulations Stasha!!! Be sure to check out the article on Babble.

Have a great week!

  

Bowling Playoffs...the Finale!

Riley’s first season of Special Olympics 5-Pin Bowling came to a close tonight and what a season it was. If you have a special needs child/teen/adult it is a wonderful organization to be a part of. I can not say enough good things about our experience.

When Riley was younger the idea of joining “team/organized” sports without a support person (or with me or G) was not in the cards. The stress was frankly more than any of us (ok...mostly G...I'm KIDDING...geeez) wanted to deal with at the time. Now-a-days, although at times still ummmm tense, Riley has enjoyed putting on his team bowling shirt and cheering on his team mates as well as fellow bowlers every Thursday night.

And thank goodness for volunteer coaches and scorekeepers…especially when they are young, blonde-haired, blue-eyed, Fair Maidens. *wink*  Remember R is almost 19.  :)

Riley started the season being able to handle playing only 2 of the 3 games with scores of 90 and 40. Eeep…it was a little rough in the beginning. Even though it was stressful for him that first night his enthusiasm (as evidenced by his now famous spin-o-rama/happy dance after a strike) shone through.

He ended the season tonight bowling a 121, 166 and 163 with a season high score of 242 (which included 5 strikes IN.A.ROW) and one other game over 200. Not too shabby for his first season.

Next up…Special “O” Bocce Ball and Golf and Challengers Baseball. Looks like we may end up with an athlete in the family after all.  Foooooore!!!

I'm going on a Sleepover...

Tomorrow (Tuesday) I am going on an overnight shopping extravaganza with a girlfriend to the States. We are staying at a *cough* casino resort but only because it is right beside the Outlet Mall. :)

Now I dare not mention the actual name of the hotel as it is one of Riley’s favourites. I broke the news to him afterschool today. The conversation went like this:

Me:       Tomorrow I am going away for one night.

R:         (sad voice)  You will be gone.

Me:       I am going shopping with H.

R:         Where you are going?  (No that is not a typo…remember this is Riley World.)

Me:       I am going to insert any city in America here.

R:         (sad voice)  You will be gone. You are not coming back.

Me:       I will be gone for 1 night. Then I will come home on Wednesday.

R:         (slightly happier voice)  Will you call me?  (Translation: Will you buy me McDonald’s.)

Me:       Sure. I can call you.

R:         (relieved voice)  You will call me.

Later at dinner:

R:         You will call me on your way home.

Me:       Sure. I will call you. Or…do you want me to surprise you?  (Translation: No call required.)

R:         (excited voice)  OK. You can surprise me.

Me:       OK. I will surprise you.

R:         You can call me on your way home and surprise me.

Yea…I know.  $4.35 is all it takes for things to be right in Riley World. Unfortunately for G, he will probably have to hear about it 435 times over the next 24 hours. Oh well. 

And THAT my friends is how we roll in Riley World!  See you in a couple of days.  

Thanksgiving in March?!?!?

Image from MorgueFile

We have all heard of Christmas in July so why not Thanksgiving in March?!? A couple of things happened last week that just gave me the warm and fuzzies all over. As a warning...this post is very high in sugar.

G was away on a golf trip so I had been on vacation too doing the single parenting thing. No. This was not one of the things I was thankful for. Although *tapping chin*...never mind. Granted it is hardly single parenting when your sons are almost 19 and 20 years old and it is only for one week.

Now typically when your kids reach a certain age they become somewhat self-sufficient and able to fend for themselves. I am not talking anything major here just simple things like staying at home alone for a short time or making themselves something to eat. Surely by the time they are ready to leave high school these things will happen. Right???

Image from MorgueFile

Scrreeeeeeeecchhhh!!!!!!!  Not so fast.

In Riley World the word typical does not exist. When in doubt I substitute the word unique. For example Riley has unique behaviours; unique language skills; unique interests. If you are unsure what I am talking about you can click on any of those red words for further explanation.

Back to why I was all warm and fuzzy last week. Now I am sure you have all read about my Zumba experience this past month right?  *sigh*  Red words again people. Go ahead. I will wait. *tap, tap, tap...*

With J2 working, leaving Riley at home by himself was not an option. No problem. I was not that heartbroken to have to miss exercising. My girlfriends thought otherwise. Damn them.  :)  Now both their sons have gone to school with R since kindergarten. Being typical teens they were off working/playing sports so not around this particular evening. However one younger sibling (who we shall call Bee) was. Now R had never really met Bee yet Bee was willing to come “hang out” with R for the hour. Apparently Bee was a little nervous but only after his older brother (R’s age) Zed (cuz I am Canadian) was giving him “helpful hints” on how to interact with R. “Don’t ask him too many questions at once? You’ll confuse him. Only ask him one thing at a time.” Awesome right???  I am happy to report that everything went smoothly as in Bee only saw R once as he whizzed past him on his way to his room. Ha!

The second feel good came when I was trying to book a haircut for myself. I was able to get an appointment for Saturday before Gary got home. Again the Riley factor came into play. My hairdresser (who happens to be a good friend and parent of a peer of R’s from elementary school) replied with this email:  “Please know that Riley is always welcome! I have the TV in the Salon and I can turn it on. Just let me know how I can make it enjoyable for him.” 

SEE…do I have awesome friends or what!!!

Unfortunately not all things were warm and fuzzy. Sometimes reality bites you in the butt when you least expect it. I heard some news that took the wind out of my sails for a bit. I had some tears, a few awkward moments over dinner Saturday night and immersed myself in Candy Crush Saga for the rest of the weekend. Curses Flannery for turning me on to this game!!!

Although I had one less hour to regroup (thanks to DST) I am even more aware and thankful for good friends/family, I will still buy green bananas and yes I am even thankful for my Magnificent Middle (aka muffin top and back fat).  :)

Here is one of my favourite quotes by T.H. Thompson and John Watson:

“Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.”

Have yourself a great week!

"Spread the Word to End the Word" 5th Annual Awareness Day!

Spread the Word to End the Word

I hope you will take a few minutes to read and share this article:

"A Word Gone Wrong" by Lawrence Downes appeared in the NY Times on March 2, 2013.

Will you take the pledge?  Thank you!

"The Dash"

Today I went to a Celebration of Life for one of my dear friend’s dad who passed away at the end of January. I have been to a few too many of these Celebrations over the past couple of years. Some have been for relatives, some for parents of friends, and tragically one for a child of a friend.

I guess this is something that happens as we get older. Perhaps I should consider this more of a positive than negative thing. It means I have had the good fortune of living a fun, happy and fairly healthy life so far.

At today’s Celebration a poem "The Dash" written by Linda Ellis was read. As I sat there listening, the words really struck a chord with me. I hope that you will take the 2-3 minutes to link over and read this poem.

Just so you know…I am not done yet and plan on making the most of "MY Dash".  How about you?

That's G...BEHIND me!  Baaahaaahaaa!