Robyn: Blue is my FAVORITE color! I just love it, almost all shades!
My cousin's birthday is in January, right after the new year, and she always hated it... so she wanted ot celebrate her HALF birthday, which was the same time as mine.
Nobody at school knew when my birthday was because I just didn't tell them. Some people found out though, like the weekend before, and I came in to find a balloon, card and several bottles of seltzer water. But we don't really celebrate it. This year it was in the middle of the week and I had classes, so I couldn't get home.
As far as medical stuff goes, I swear... There REALLY IS a bias against people who work. I don't know how anybody but the super rich dare have kids because if the child has a disability, you're screwed... I sure can't keep up with MY medical bills. Lord help anybody that gets something like cancer and works because the insurance companies won't cover it! Its a great big dice shoot.
As for the child you described, I can't say... Typically something has to happen and the parents can't just CHOOSE to send the child to another district or a different placement. The law allows it if the school district can't program for the child. The law basically says that the child must receive a free and appropriate public education in the least restrictive environment. Appropriate doesn't mean cadillac expense, either, the district can prove that appropriate is a Saturn. So, at some point in that child's education, something happened that has your district choosing to pay that money to another district... the parent probably didn't decide from the beginning not to send the child to your district. Or, the district may have decided that they couldn't program for that child... and decided from the outset to send him. If he's physically disabled AND has autism, that would be quite a hoop to jump throuhg to program for him appropriately. I was a 1:1 for a child who was mild/moderately mentally ******ed and had Duchennes Muscular dystrophy... By the time I had him, he unable to do anything more than weight bear with max assist (adults had to hold him up, and help him slide back when done, but he could do it). He was all dead-weight, too. REALLY hard to work with.
Mouse- thanks for the input. I do know that this student started out in the county, and from what the driver told me, mom was unhappy and asked to have him moved.
As far as the student goes, he was capable of walking totally independantly, but needed some assistance climbing up into the suburban. He was able to take his books out of the seat pocket and turn the pages.......grabbed my hand many times to show me where he wanted me to read, but unable to verbalize at all. I saw little expression in his lower face, but he was able to use his eyes to show displeasure (if I was not reading what he wanted). He was prone to grabbing-pinching.....hard.......and the only way of preventing him from doing that was using my hand to place mild pressure on his upper chest. Now that I told you nothing (this probably could describe a million kids!).....I just thought I would add that. Not sure I am cut out for a special ed situation........although there are days that the 61 kids I transport to and from school are sure a source of aggravation!!! And a belated birthday to you!!!!!!!!! Seems as though you just had one. I have thought about the half birthday celebration many times- but honestly I LOVE winter, and Christmas.....and except for a really crummy attitude from Dd (which of course rubbed off on at least one of our kids) I have no desire to change it.
And the other thing.......our youngest's birthday is Dec 18......only a few days before mine. We usually have her party a few weeks early (so as not to conflict with other families holiday celebrations) and try to keep the day somewhat special. So by the time Dec 23 rolls around.........well, noone really cares much.
Anyway- Dh is in a better mood (heck he had better be for all the crabbiness I endured last night!). Mouse, you have not mentioned how you were feeling at all in the last post or two........you ok?
Off to finish reorganizing my greeting card stock (somehow, it gets all messed up!). Simply amazing the cleaning I can get done while I am out of work.
Have a great nite!!!!!!!
Oh, and Robyn- once you are done with your painting........I sure could use some help here!!! Aw, why not- NY is only a 10-12 hour drive away!
Ginny
Evening Ladies,
Thank you for all your encouragement and advice. My birthday was in May. The 15th to be exact. I got more from going on an overnight school fieldtrip the next day then on my birthday. The kids sang happy birthday to me on the bus. So that made up for the way I was treated on my birthday. The funny thing about my dh's birthday is the next day on Sat. I am having a yard sale. So I will be busy on Friday putting prices on stuff and getting it ready to set up on Saturday morning. So jeezz I won't be able to do much to celebrate his birthday. He also has never bought me anything for Christmas, Valentine's Day or Mother's Day. This was the first Mother's Day I would have celebrated as a stepmom. He never said anything to me that day or his kids. Even though they were with their mom, I thought a phone call would have been nice. I use to in the past buy gifts for their mom and also my dh and say it was from the kids. But I don't think I am going to do that anymore. Since it seems like it wasn't appreciated. But their mom sure likes it that I take the kids to the library and art lessons. Plus I was the one who took my stepdd to her softball practices and games while her mommy was at work. I think I am going to stop being a doormat for people to walk all over and go out of my way to do things for others. If you can't scratch my back, then I am not going to scratch yours for you. Can you all tell that I am PMS really bad this month?
I went to TOPS tonight and gained two pounds. But that is okay with me since it is that TOM. I will take it off next week.
Robyn I will keep my fingers crossed about your job postion. I hope you get it. You deserve a change from the zoo you worked at last year. Plus it sounds like you have been really busy painting your bathroom. Are you done with it yet?
Mouse you sound like me when it is that time of year to do MFE's and IEP's. I tend to drag my feet when it comes to writing those. This past year, I got them done early and had them riped apart by my supervisior. So I told my TA never again am I going to do that. I will drag my feet since I seem to write better under pressure. Good luck in getting your assessments done.
Ginny That must be awful to hear your dh go on about having a Christmas baby. That must be very hurtful to hear every year. I thought I was the only one with an insentive spouse at certain times of the year. Sounds like you have been busy cleaning closets too. I cleaned out my clothes closet a few weeks back and got 5 big black sacks full of clothes that don't fit me anymore. Plus I finished cleaning out my storage closet today and found several boxes of stuff to sell on Saturday. My city is having a city-wide yard sale that day. So I figured that I couldn't go wrong with that day. This is how I will be able to get some new clothes for the coming school year. I am going to have fun shopping for smaller sizes.
Well I better go and get some sleep. I have another busy day ahead of me. I have to go workout early. Then we are going to lunch at my mother-in-law's and then the kids' have their summer reading finale at the library tomorrow afternoon. Plus I would like to clean out one more closet before Saturday to see if I have anyother junk to get rid of.
Talk to you all later.
Have a great day tomorrow.
Take care,
Kerry
Real quick post from me: I went to sleep before I ate dinner yesterday so I had to eat breakfast this morning. And now I have to go to work. I'm not looking forward to another day of testing, really... Especially since I'm almost out of the tests and I don't think they have anymore.
Of course, that would make my life easier: I wouldn't have 47 reports to write!!!!
These are different from IEPs and such, because they're for the vocational program. I still case manage and have a homeroom. This year I'll only have 5 students, which is good because I have all the new kids for introduction to our vocational program and there is a ton of paperwork and assessments that go with that during the school year as well.
I'm doing okay mostly... Today will be rough because I don't typically eat breakfast or lunch anymore, so I don't go to work sick... Yesterday was a weird day though: the team leader bought me lunch for some reason, and she remembered that I'm (as she thinks of it!) pretty picky. So she bought me stir-fried veggies. Something I can definitely eat. But, I ate it, so then I was so full I didn't want dinner (that's what happens when you don't eat ... you aren't hungry anymore either!). So I went swimming, came home, took my meds, wrote a report or two, and went to sleep... So breakfast just wasn't a choice today.
Just a drive by visit from me, but I will be back later!!!
Kerry- you keep cleaning there girl!!!!!!!! I hope you sell lots and lots of stuff Saturday to enable you to get a great fall wardrobe! Don't sweat the 2#- I gained last week too (PMS week for me) and I expect most of it go be gone tonite! A 2# gain with TOM around the corner is nothing....who knows, maybe you lost!!!!! And BTW,a bless those kids for singing happy birthday to you!!!!!! I had something similar with my gang- they never knew that it was my birthday, but the wonderful and thoughtful Christmas gifts that I was blessed with (among which was $140 in mall gift certificates!) and all the other love they showered me with helped me deal with a miserable crab Dh..... Don't know how I would personally deal with the kids mom......I know that you do not want to feel like a doormat anymore.....don't blame you one bit there!!!!!!! But then, there is a part of me that would want to do the right thing- take the high road, and prove to everyone else how someone with some class would handle this. (I go thru a similar arguement every year with gifts and cards for my SIL/BIl who generally treat me like trash.....but I send cards anyway). I dunno....I can surely understand how you might feel!!!
Mouse- how sweet of your team leader to be sensitive to your dietary needs!!!! (ok, it messed up your eating otherwise......but still nice!) Sorry that you are still muddling thru those reports........and sorry that you have to endure yet another test.
Ok, Dd wants to go online to PBS kids to play a game.........so far today has been good.
I'd better get out of here and start packing stuff for the salvation army!
Have a great day.
Ginny
It was very cool of her to be considerate... I do my best to avoid staff luncheons and what not because there usually isn't anything I can eat. Because you NEVER KNOW what they put in it!! But, I'm pretty safe with vegetarian stuff if I can avoid onions.
People think I'm a picky eater because I can't eat chicken anymore, I'm allergic to chocolate and nutra sweet. Oh well!!!
I have what *might* be good news on the insurance end: I spoke with the supervisor today. WE're playing phone tag, so I'm not entirely positive she understood, but I told her that the first surgeon didn't submit stuff correctly so I found a new one. And that he isn't on their plan, but if they'd pay for the hospital stay and the anesthiologist, I'd come up with the rest of the money. The doctor's fee is a lot more, but chances are that if they approve the first two, they'll kick in the out of network subsidy for the doctor.
She told me to have the new doctor submit a new letter with information, to make sure my endocrinologist includes a letter TO THE insurance company, and I can submit anything I want as well... so I'm going to submit my gym records, and get one of the water aerobics instructors that I'm friendly with to write a letter about how often I swim. She's there almost everyday and sees me. That way they can't say I'm just doing this for weight loss.
In fact, I'm going to try and convince both my endocrinologist and the surgeon to not even MENTION the weight loss aspect of it, because then its just plastic usrgery.
I'm also going to ask over in the PCOS forum (since that is most closely related to what I have) if anybody has any information that might help. If I drown 'em in paperwork, maybe thye'll pay?????
Hello folks! The weather is VERY bad and unpredicatable here! We have several friends who have lost their computers (as well as other things!) due to all of the lightning strikes... soooo Dh has been crazy "enforcing" his rule of no computers during a storm... AND well...it has rained SOOOO much.... anyway! THAT with me trying to immitate that Trading Spaces chick and thinking that I could "do" this bathroom.... WHAT was I thinking?! In my next life, I SWEAR, I'm going to be rich so that I can hire professionals to do these kinds of home projects! I've been trying to get the bathroom finished... AND now I've decided to mess with the kitchen. WHAT was I thinking?!
I've also got jury duty next month... Did I tell you all that?! The Clerk of Courts said to bring my schedule for work (still haven't heard anymore from the new system....) as well as all my doctors appointment dates and talk to the judge.... My dh says that I need to take our two ds and let them sit in the court room as I really don't have anywhere for them to stay while I'm gone. I don't like to leave the oldest (12) home alone yet.... because dear me...he can STILL do some of the most STUPID 12 year old things! And I certainly don't leave the 9 year old home with the oldest! YIKES! Anyway!
Our oldest is a SpEd kid. There must be a very good reason (program, teachers, equipment, etc...) that has that kid going out of the system for his SpEd. As his parents, I know that we certainly weigh the length of the commute when we are selecting programs for our son. I *HOPE* that the parents of the child involved are aware, educated and KNOW what they are doing for the kid! Enough said! (Don't get me on my BROOM! I am *THAT MOTHER*! When it comes to our kiddo! LOL)
Gotta get dinner done. Then I'm going to paint the trim and door in the bathroom and announce that I'm as done with the paint cans as I can be! My dh wants me to "smooth" the 1 wall that was ruined by the wallpaper.....but...I'm thinking that if he wants it smooth he can smooth it himself! I'm just about DONE! Then I've gotta get new stuff...towel bar, shower curtain, etc.... and then viola...I bet he won't notice the "rough" area! I will show him how to sponge paint! THAT would hide it! hmmm? NOOO, I'm nearly done with paint in there!
ya'll take care! I've got the solution to not ever getting presents from my dh! THAT used to happen to me....I'll tell you what I did tomorrow!
Evening Ladies,
I am offically ready for my yard sale on Saturday. I am done cleaning and tagging everything. Now all I have to do is figure out how I am setting every thing up on Saturday morning to display my junk.
I treated myself to an ice cream bar at the DQ tonight. I could have really went hog wild and got a blizzard but I can't eat all that ice cream anymore. I would be sick to my stomach.
One more day of running the kids to their programs for the summer and I am done. Then I can go to school next week and start working on my classroom. Maybe I should have them all come with me and work on it. Since I did everything they wanted to do this summer and nothing I wanted to do. That would teach them huh.
Ginny what did you end up getting at the mall with $140 gift certificates? I plan on dragging my dh to go shopping with me for my new clothes. If he can make me go do stuff with him that I really don't care for then he can do the same for me.
Robyn would you like to come to my house and redo our upstairs. If you are the gal from Trading Spaces, have at it girl. Glad to hear that your almost done with your painting. Don't you love how men can never say what a nice job you have done on something. They always have to find one or two things wrong and tell you how to fix it. I like your idea of the new towel bar and shower curtain to hide the rough spot.
Mouse that is great news about your insurance company. I hope it all works well for you. Keep up the good work of bugging your insurance company.
Gotta go. I am tired and hope to go to bed early tonight.
Take care,
Kerry
Hi!
Wish I had more time for a long response......but I should be back later.
Mouse- sounds good for you- insurance and Dr's getting on the right track! I am so happy for you!
Robyn-jury duty is the pits.....had it last summer. Hope your time with is is not too bad. I hear ya with the home improvement stuff........but am guilty of the same offense as you.
Kerry- hope that garage sale is great and you get rid of lots of stuff and make lots of cash!!!!!! BTW- the one big item I got with the $140 was a new pair of walking shoes.........I go thru them quickly!
Afternoon Ladies,
Congrats on the job, Robyn!! I am so happy for you. That is great news!!
I was able to go to bed early last night for a change. Then when my alarm went off this morning, I turned it off and went right back to sleep. So I think I got caught up on some of my sleep. Thank God on that one. I was starting to be a really crabby person.
Right now since it is that TOM, I am hungry all the time. I keep trying very hard not to snack. Sometimes I do okay and others I give into a few chips here and a cookie there. I just hope that I can talk myself out of it and not pack on tons of weight by the end of the week.
Well the kid's are playing ball outside and I told them that I would play with them. So I am off to play ball for a little bit. Talk to you all later.
Take care,
Kerry
Woooooo!! Go Robyn!!!! Congratulations on the job!!!!
And the bathroom.
I've never had jury duty, and I'm not sure what I'd do: I use my mom's address as my permanent address and vote up there as well! It'd be quite a commute!
Congrats on the yard sale... Hope you earn lots and lots of money! My school does a huge one every year, and I used the opportunity to clear off my book case so I could buy more books. And I earned comp time for working on a Saturday at the yard sale!
Okay... I am so glad summer school is over next week!! One of my new kids destroyed my room this afternoon. I've had this calendar that I made with moveable pieces and all the holidays (and then some), tags for months, days, seasons, and weather. I've had this calendar since my 3rd year teaching, so its survived moves to 2 schools, my inner-city self-contained MR/ED dual diagnosis class with NO AIDE!!! The calendar has been through the mill! Its one of the commercial calendars, and then I made all the pieces for it, printed them on card stock and had them laminated. Everything goes on with velcro... so you can move it, and change it. And today, one of my new kids destroyed half the pieces and tried to destroy the calendar. But, laminated card stock was too much for him, so he just stomped on it. The kid just lost it. And all because he didn't want to do the warm-up drill!
And I picked up everything and put it all back up on the wall because I didn't want the kid to think he'd done something special.
Oh! And some of my kids, during the vocational assessments, picked some real interesting jobs!!! I have one porn star, an assassin, an exotic dancer and a marine sniper. Last year I had 2 porn stars, and an exotic dancer. Oh, one child who wants to work in construction because he likes boots!
I have blisters on my blisters! I'm not kidding...I got blisters, then because it is physically impossible to stop walking at Disneyworld, I got more blisters on top of my already existing blisters!!! I've never seen anything like it! Oh, and I injured my achilles tendon...pain like you wouldn't believe...from so much friggin walking. I ate whatever I wanted...and ate like a piggy...and only gained 3 pounds...probably because of all the walking. So are you getting my point?! I AM SO TIRED OF WALKING!!!
We did have fun though. That Mike, boy he saved our vacation, and so, dear Robyn, you saved my vacation by introducing me to "my man, Mike." Thank you my friend.
Magic Kingdom, particularly Fantasyland, was DD's favorite. MGM was my favorite. DH couldn't decide his favorite. Animal Kingdom was a disappointment, but that is okay. Whenever we can afford to go back, and that isn't looking so good right now, we will be able to spend more time in the other parks by not going to Animal Kingdom. I also think I would rather go for 5 nights instead of 7 nights. Believe it or not, I was ready to come home. Sound weird?! We just weren't able to ever catch up on rest. It was hard for DH and I to share a double bed, so sleep didn't come easy. The big pool at the Caribbean was ALWAYS BUSY, so we never got near it. We did try the "quiet pool," but because the water was soooo warm, it didn't refresh us in the hot humid weather. It seemed like I was constantly looking for opportunities for relaxation and never found it. Next time, I am fitting in a "spa day." Riding the buses was a drag, but it was better than paying $8 a day to park and deal with traffic and getting lost. We would like to stay at a hotel linked to the monorail next time.
The Fantasmic show at MGM was phenomenol. Beauty and the Beast at MGM was wonderful. Philharmagic was so cool. Living Seas at Epcot was really amazing. At Pleasure Island, we went to a comedy club where the comedians were hysterical. We just loved everything.
So, now I'm home and broke! We need to cut back on the luxuries, so I guess I won't be getting my manicures anymore. And cable is gonna have to go to basic. But, honestly we don't even watch half the channels we have. So, it shouldn't matter much. (Good thing I ordered the stuff I needed for school before we left!)
I don't know when I will be able to go back to read all of the postings. So, for now, I will start from here. I hope all of you have been well. I hope you are all making progress. It is certainly time for me to get back to work on Weight Watchers. Exercise has to be postponed until I see the chiropractor about my leg and deal with that. But that won't stop me from going back on my diet.
Welcome back Summer!!!!! Sorry 'bout the blisters.........but it sounds like you had a great time. How was the weather????? A trip worth having to cut back for a while for......gee, for us here (at least for me!) the week went quickly. I agree with you about Animal Kingdom (please tell me there are real animals on the Safari.......we hardly saw any!). My family liked MGM best too......except for me, I'll take Epcot. Take care of your leg (what do they do to treat that??) and go easy on your piggies!
Mouse- gee, those occupations are quite something........where do these kids get their ideas from? Porn star??? (what ages?) But I have to admire the kid with the construction boots! Why not? That is a shame about your calendar........guess it kind of breaks you heart, huh?
Kerry- how are you feeling? Hope you can avoid some of the TOM munchies. And good thing you got some sleep! (one good thing about Ol' Tom is it makes you tired and I sleep so well). Hope your day ended up well!
Robyn-can't wait to hear all the details about your new position!!!!!!!!!!
Got all the stuff to the Salvation Army.....now to continue cleaning!! Also got called in to work tomorrow am.......just a few hours.....and my supervisor practically begged. But it is only the am and I will be done in time to get Dd to swimming lessons. We went college shopping at Walmart this afternoon- made only a small dent in what Dd needs, but we are getting there. Guess I'd better go- lots to do before the weekend!
We are going to the shore (we usually go to the Outer Banks for a week, but are trying to save a few $ by going to the Jersey shore for a few days). I am not all that much of a beach person.....I grew up in NJ- had a bf whose parents had a beach house.....so I spent lots of my late teens and early 20's at the NJ shore. At this point I would rather go to a secluded lake........with a couple of row boats, a pile of books and some crocheting or sewing to do......dream on Ginny!
Gotta go- Dd wants to play Monopoly.
Have a great nite.
Ginny
I just love it, almost all shades! 
Aw, why not- NY is only a 10-12 hour drive away!
Oh well!!! 
And cable is gonna have to go to basic. But, honestly we don't even watch half the channels we have. So, it shouldn't matter much. (Good thing I ordered the stuff I needed for school before we left!) 
