5 years old !

Thursday at 10:20, 10:21 and 10:22, I will officially have 3 five year olds!! I know I say it all the time, but I can't believe how fast time is going!! I have absolutely loved age 4 and am a little sad to see it go, but at the same time am so excited for this next stage. Here are a few shots from our photo shoot the other day. I will add more shots and updates this week!!

What's up??
Well, once again I have been slacking on the blog front. It feels like time is going so fast. I remember growing up feeling like it went so slowly, didn't think I was ever going to turn 16, 18, 21....... After about 25 it really started speeding up, and since the girls were born it just went into warp speed. I need to remember to slow down and enjoy all the little things..............and to blog more.

Garry and I are starting Operation Get Healthy this summer. We both are doing the Farrell's extreme body shaping 10 week challenge. Garry just started today and I just finished. I didn't lose much weight, but really gained strength, lost inches and have lots of motivation to keep going. It kicked my ASS everyday and I honestly didn't think I could workout that intensely, but I did it!! I don't think Garry will have any problem with the workouts, it will be the diet portion that kicks HIS ass!

The girls have been having a great time at home this summer. They really missed school in the beginning, but have worked into our new routine well. They have had a fantastic time getting to know the neighbor kids and playing outside with them. August will bring all sorts of fun activities, Aunt Deb is coming for a visit, the Iowa State Fair, we are going to check out adventureland and swim, swim, swim for the rest of the month.

We continued ABA through the summer with Eryn and have decided to take August off to give us all a little break before school starts. She graduated from her feeding group in July and may possibly graduate from OT sometime this fall, that just leaves her with Speech and ABA. We will have to have her diagnosis reevaluated for her waiver this spring, I am really anxious to see how she tests this time. She has come so far, I can't wait to see how she does this fall. We decided to take her out of special ed preschool and place her with the other 2 girls in regular PreK. I know it will be hard, especially maintaining attention for long periods, but I really think that is going to give her the best atmosphere for peer modeling and know what is going to be expected of her in Kindergarten.

Maya has been the little therapy rock star! She will be graduating out of Speech and OT in the next month or so. She has just really blossomed over the summer. She is still going to be in the feeding group a little while longer, but I think is just going to be a picky eater for life. She is so ready for school to start. She does so well with the academic stuff. I am sure she will be reading more after this year. She is also quite the little photographer, I should post some of her pics sometime. She has surprised us this summer by turning into a little daredevil, we need to enroll her into gymnastics to get some of this energy out!

Kyra has continued to go to Grace this summer for 2 days while her sisters were in therapy. She loves having her special place with her friends. She is really developing an awesome artistic streak. She loves to draw and is really getting good at writing her letters. She told me the other day she wants to learn how to do baton twirling like the girls in the parades, so we may be looking into that for her. Also need to get them all into swimming lessons. Kyra started trying to dive underwater last week!

We have decided to try and list the house for sale again. Garry is anxious to get us moved to Bondurant before the girls start Kindergarten next year. We are having a garage sale next weekend to clear out the clutter, looking at paint swatches to paint the outside and just getting things in order for home showings. I am really dreading trying to keep it clean all the time, but know it will be worth it in the end. Most likely we will rent an apartment in town after the house sells until we find or build what we want, that way we won't get stuck with 2 mortgages. It will be an adventure..............right. :)

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Family Vacation

At the end of June we went with Garry's family down to Lake of the Ozarks for our first real family vacation. We had a blast! We were able to see lots of Garry's extended family, attended a wedding and a birthday party and did lots of swimming, eating and relaxing!! The girls did really well with the long car ride, thank god for portable DVD players. They used water wings for the first time and loved having the independence in the water, by the end of the week they were jumping in and basically swimming on their own. We stayed in a great condo, very family friendly. The favorite spot was one of the pools that had a small lazy river and a splash park next to it. Here are some photos of the trip.

Visit to the Children's Museum

We had a great visit to the childrens museum this winter. We got to visit with my sister Sarah and I got to see an old friend from lakeside and meet her adorable boys! This museum has the perfect activities for preschool age kids. They have a little grocery store, pizza parlor, ambulance and little hospital, farm, bob the builder type room......... It is great fun!! Hope we can make it up there again before school gets out.

WHY????

Why is it so dang hard to get just ONE good group picture???

SLEDDING

The girls LOVED sledding this year. We had to improvise a few days and used cookie sheets.........hey..they work really well and go super fast!!! It was so much more relaxing for me this year since they could drag their own sleds back up the hill. Whohoo!!

Superbowl Sunday!!

Well about 3am superbowl sunday we were awoken by the doorbell and this is what we saw as we looked out our front door. **notice the snowman there, right where the girls had been playing earlier that day.......that makes me shiver just thinking what if this had been earlier in the day*** This guy was fighting with his girlfriend while driving (intoxicated we think, but he wasn't charged) and obviously was speeding (but wasn't charged for that either!!) and hit our neighbors parked van which was parked the opposite direction and spun it around into a tree, then he proceeded to hit our mailbox, then Garry's car in the driveway and ended up on our front lawn KNOCKING over the fire hydrant. Amazingly none of us heard this and another neighbor woke us up. The guy was slightly injured but kept telling me he needed to get out of there because he already had an OWI!! So off he went in the ambulance and was only charged with failure to maintain control and no seatbelt and we were left to clean up the mess! Literally!! We had to call the city to come clean up the street, call the water company to fix the hydrant and still have not received the check from the insurance company for Garry's car and a MONTH of rental car use. I am so thankful it was just things that were damaged, but so frustrated with the whole process!

Mr. Snowman

Trip to Bahamas and Florida

We were able to take a trip down to Florida and cruise to the Bahamas with our friends Teresa and Jeff at the end of January. We had an awesome time and really enjoyed being in 70 and 80 degree weather while it was below zero back home. :) These are a few of the shots I have, unfortunately my camera battery died during the cruise and I had to use a disposable camera. I will try to load those pics another day. I think our favorite part of the trip was the day we spent on Coco Cay. That is Royal Carribean's private island and it was so beautiful and relaxing. Another highlight was to be able to see my old friend Chris who lives right near where we happend to be staying in Florida. It was so great to see him. The low point of the trip had to be the flight back. We ended up stranded at the Cincinnati airport for a full LONG day due to weather. In the end we ended up getting very lucky and found a flight to Des Moines that was able to get out and they let us change our ticket for free..........the bad thing was that my dad was in KC waiting for us to land there.........but we all ended up home safely late that night.

Grandma's Surprise 60th Birthday Party

We were able to plan a little surprise for Grandma Mary on her 60th birthday. We arranged for her sisters and some of her closest friends to help celebrate her birthday at Latin King.

First Trip to the Dentist

Ok, so I know I have procrastinated this appointment long enough,.......but wouldn't taking 3 preschoolers to the dentist stress you a little too!! They did awesome! I couldn't believe all the goodies this office had. TVs in the ceiling, about 20 flavors of toothpaste, fun prizes at the end...... Kyra was the bravest and didn't make a peep. Eryn and Maya cried a bit, but over all did well. Most importantly NO cavities for anyone!! Who hoo!!

St. Patty's Day
Here are some pics from the parade. It was a beautiful day and the girls had a blast.

The Penguin Walk

While we were on vacation all the girls went to Kyra's school for a day. They put all 3 girls in the preschool room so they could be a part of the Penguin Walk. They had a blast and I am so glad Aunt Deb was there to take pictures.

Christmas Morning

Kyra was the first to get up and sneak downstairs. She came running back up to wake us up, saying Santa had come and we had to come downstairs. Maya woke up soon after, but it took Eryn a good 45 minutes before she could be awakened (she definitely takes after her mommy) to open presents. They were so excited that Santa had come and eaten the cookies and drank all the chocolate milk. He brought them princess barbies, braclets and a soccer ball and goal. This was the first year they really got into Santa and everything. It was so fun to see the excitement in their eyes!

Christmas Eve

We spent Christmas Eve at Kate's dad's house. Its always a nice relaxing evening with traditions including little smokies and new pajamas. We watched Wall-E in our new jammies and the girls had a great time opening presents, especially their new ponyville set. Aunt Sarah was there to join us and Aunt Deb flew in late that night, just in time for Christmas morning. Once we got home we put out chocolate chip cookies and chocolate milk for santa, then off to be they went.

Autism Night Before Christmas
by Cindy Waeltermann

Twas the Night Before Christmas

And all through the house

The creatures were stirring

Yes, even the mouse

We tried melatonin

And gave a hot bath

But the holiday jitters

They always distract

The children were finally

All nestled in bed

When nightmares of terror

Ran through my OWN head

Did I get the right gift

The right color

And style

Would there be a tantrum

Or even, maybe, a smile?

Our relatives come

But they don't understand

The pleasure he gets

Just from flapping his hands.

"He needs discipline," they say"

Just a well-needed smack,

You must learn to parent..."

And on goes the attack

We smile and nod

Because we know deep inside

The argument is moot

Let them all take a side

We know what it's like

To live with the spectrum

The struggles and triumphs

Achievements, regressions...

But what they don't know

And what they don't see

Is the joy that we feel

Over simplicity

He said "hello"

He ate something green!

He told his first lie!

He did not cause a scene!

He peed on the potty

Who cares if he's ten,

He stopped saying the same thing

Again and again!

Others don't realize

Just how we can cope

How we bravely hang on

At the end of our rope

But what they don't see

Is the joy we can't hide

When our children with autism

Make the tiniest stride

We may look at others

Without the problems we face

With jealousy, hatred

Or even distaste

But what they don't know

Nor sometimes do we

Is that children with autism

Bring simplicity.

We don't get excited

Over expensive things

We jump for joy

With the progress work brings

Children with autism

Try hard every day

That they make us proud

More than words can say.

They work even harder

Than you or I

To achieve something small

To reach a star in the sky

So to those who don't get it

Or can't get a clue

Take a walk in my shoes

And I'll assure you

That even 10 minutes

Into the walk

You'll look at me

With respect, even shock.

You will realize

What it is I go through

And the next time you judge

I can assure you

That you won't say a thing

You'll be quiet and learn,

Like the years that I did

When the tables were turned.......