The DDA Trouble Free Zone Part 18

[Tinkaroo]

Hi, all!

I hope everyone is doing well. We are back from WDW as of Monday morning, and I brought back a wonderful souvenier upper respiratory thing, too. Unfortunately, I was down for the count yesterday, but I'm all stocked up on meds today, and back to real life - which is very VERY hectic right now, as I'm sure it is for all of you!

It was a great trip, although way too short (we've gotten spoiled with those week-long trips!). The rain ended Thursday night, so our Christmas party wasn't rained on. Even though the party was sold-out, the crowds were very manageable and we got to see everything. The MK was not crowded at all on Friday, but boy, did the crowds begin building on Saturday. for manageable crowds for those of you just heading out!

The CP with Kirk Cameron was awesome, and we really enjoyed the new "dancing" feature of the Osborne Lights, as well. Although it wasn't rainy, we would have liked a little more seasonal weather. It was pushing 80 most of our trip, with high humidity. Needless to say, my hair took on a life of it's own - and it's not even naturally curly!

We did have the pleasure of meeting Paul, Marti, and Matt! Paul actually recognized me in the middle of Adventureland, and we had a great visit - they were really fun, and it was fun to put their physical persona with their online persona. We have a picture together, that I will post sometime soon.

I'm scrambling around trying to do all the last-minute holiday stuff, so I might not be around a lot, and I definitely don't have time to catch up. Here are for all, and I hope your weeks continue to go well. Thanks also to all the wonderful cards I've been receiving - that has been a really fun thing this year.

 

[Glynis]

I just wanted to give everyone a quick update on my neighbor, Louis, who was burned so badly. He has had skin transplants on his back and his left hand. It seems to have taken, and he can even bend the fingers on his left hand which is quite good! His right hand, however, is still in question. It was burned so badly, that literally, his fingers fused together. Right now, they are just keeping it in bandages while he heals. The best news is that they are letting him come home tomorrow. Originally, they told him that he would be in the hospital for at least 4 weeks, but he's doing so well, they're allowing him to come home, now. He will have to continue to go in to the hospital every day to have the bandages changed, and the burns scrubbed, but at least he'll be home for the holidays.

My husband took him our old laptop, and fitted it out with some voice recognition software, so he can still do some of his work while he is recuperating. I think he was really grateful for that, as he was worried about what would happen to his income. This will help. His spirits are good, and he is so thankful just to be alive. Thank you all for your prayers on his behalf, they are helping so much! It touches me (and the Jaspersons) to know that you all are praying for Louis.

 

[UP Disney]

I know many people who have an IEP where some parts are for gifted help and other parts are for learning disabilities. It happens very often.

Becky is close to that. Math is so easy for her. However, her reading comprehension disability causes her problems.

 

[babytrees]

All right all....my boss is a maniac, nuts or whatever....EVERYTHING but us is closed!!!!

Prayers this way that he'll get the sense God gave him and send us home!!

 

[UP Disney]

Love the graphic!!

We have an IEP meeting once a year....it was twice when it was first in place. You can have an IEP or Individualized Education Plan no less than once every school year.

Once we hit Middle School with Abi I don't believe we will have an IEP in place because of the class options.

We kept the IEP in place through high school for Becky. Without the IEP, she can't get any extra help in college if she needs it.

 

[Pooh67_68]

they sell out quickly, what is nice though is they sell year round.

The link says the monks are sold out. Maybe next year!

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

Tammi - Drive safely!

Elin - I hope you have time to get all of your packing & last minute things taken care of!

Lindsay - Welcome home! I am glad you had fun! Sorry you have been sick!

Theresa - Perhaps a little HINT is needed. Go tell your boss you are going home, and he should probably do the same!

Glynis - Hope your neighbor continues to recover! It is good news that he will be home for the holidays!

Our tree has a few ornaments on it. It looks pretty good. DH still isn't home from work. Now I feel bad for telling him he should work when he was scheduled off today. Wednesdays are usually very easy, early days for him. DS is grouchy because I won't give him the toys I bought for him at the mall yesterday. We had a VERY clear understanding that those toys are for Christmas, and he can not have them before then! So he is pouting. I also told him he wouldn't have to come to work with me today, but since DH didn't make it home DS had to come with me.

I told DH that he canhelp DS put more ornaments on the tree tonight. We started out just hanging certain ones out of the first box we opened, but maybe we should hang all of the ones out of that box and call it good. Probably easier than trying to sort through them, picking and choosing. I don't think the tree will hold all of them, and I don't want all of them on there since we will have to turn right around and take them all off again in a week.

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

We kept the IEP in place through high school for Becky. Without the IEP, she can't get any extra help in college if she needs it.

Since DS has been on the Focalin XR he has been doing great, but we will keep the 504 in place from year to year. It gives him additional time for standardized tests if he needs it, and eliminates "busy work" because he simply can not stick with some tasks from beginning to end. Last year the teacher gave a grammar assignment that was 25 sentences long. She wanted them to COPY the sentences, word for word, from the book and THEN mark the parts of speech. DS could have easily written just the noun and the verb (or whatever it was) for all 25 exercises, but copying those sentences made him come unglued. He would leave a word out, have to erase the rest of the sentence to add it in, it was AWFUL. And of course he couldn't concentrate on the REAL assignment, which was the parts of speech. Then that same teacher had the audacity to tell me she NEVER assigns busy work.

The counselor told me the sooner you have a diagnosis on file the better, because I guess there are a lot of kids who all of a sudden at SAT time try to get modifications and they get turned down.

 

[tinker1bell]

Just a quick pop in while the gingerbread cake is cooling and laundry is drying.

Our family get together isn't actually until 6:00 p.m., but my brother, who is hosting this, needs our help to get everything ready. DW works until 11:30 today, so we plan on leaving shortly after. He lives about 1 1/2 hours away, so that should put us there in time to help.
DW plans to go to their local Wal-mart to pick up some kitty supplies. Carrier, litter, litter box, food, treats, and whatever else she thinks we might need. We don't want to spoil Leighanna's surprise, so she will leave her with me, and pretend to slip away to pick up some food items that we forgot.
I do think the biggest obstacle that we will face is getting the cat and dog to know each other. I am afraid that Sophie, our dog, will try to mother it to death. As long as she doesn't pick her up in her mouth, we should be fine.

Jen, good luck with the baby today! Have a fun girls night out!

Tom,

Goldens have the softest mouths so if she was to pick up the cat it would only be because maybe she thinks she has to retrieve it for you. Our oldest son's dog Jake has to bring something to whoever is coming in the front door. Socks, shoes, stuffed animals, whatever he can get ahold of.

 

[babytrees]

All right all....my boss is a maniac, nuts or whatever....EVERYTHING but us is closed!!!!

Prayers this way that he'll get the sense God gave him and send us home!!

A couple of minutes after I wrote this...I went in and asked him to turn around. I am now at home with permission to not come in tomorrow if not necessary. It's necessary but I won't go in until the afternoon.

 

[Blueeyes101817]

I just wanted to give everyone a quick update on my neighbor, Louis, who was burned so badly. He has had skin transplants on his back and his left hand. It seems to have taken, and he can even bend the fingers on his left hand which is quite good! His right hand, however, is still in question. It was burned so badly, that literally, his fingers fused together. Right now, they are just keeping it in bandages while he heals. The best news is that they are letting him come home tomorrow. Originally, they told him that he would be in the hospital for at least 4 weeks, but he's doing so well, they're allowing him to come home, now. He will have to continue to go in to the hospital every day to have the bandages changed, and the burns scrubbed, but at least he'll be home for the holidays.

My husband took him our old laptop, and fitted it out with some voice recognition software, so he can still do some of his work while he is recuperating. I think he was really grateful for that, as he was worried about what would happen to his income. This will help. His spirits are good, and he is so thankful just to be alive. Thank you all for your prayers on his behalf, they are helping so much! It touches me (and the Jaspersons) to know that you all are praying for Louis.

Louis is s till in my prayers..i was wondering about him the other day. It sounds like he is doing good!

 

[Blueeyes101817]

A couple of minutes after I wrote this...I went in and asked him to turn around. I am now at home with permission to not come in tomorrow if not necessary. It's necessary but I won't go in until the afternoon.

Glad you are home!

 

[Blueeyes101817]

im about to leave to go to my friends house for dinner and drinks! ill be back in a bit im sure..have a great night guys!

 

[tinknme]

Lindsey welcome back! Sorry to hear you have not been feeling well

Theresa glad you were able to leave early & made it home safely!

Elizabeth hope your cat is feeling better. on getting your tree up!

Elin I hope you get your packing done tonight!

 

[tinknme]

Have fun Jen!

im about to leave to go to my friends house for dinner and drinks! ill be back in a bit im sure..have a great night guys!

 

[tinknme]

Glynis so happy to hear your neighbor is coming home!

Denise thank you for the card!

 

[kc10family]

Tom, Vicki and Glynis thank you so much for the wonderful cards.

 

[my3princes]

Hmm... don't you have to pass NY to get from VT to FL????

NY? Isn't that a day trip anyway? We usually go to Lake George during the summer. How far are you from there? I've always wanted to check out NY City are you anywhere near there.

Deb

 

[ReAnSt]

Becky - thanks for the update. We got a new IEP for our kids every single year. Whether or not it was because it is a requirement or because the gifted teachers in our school district are all on the ball, I don't know. But Anne Marie -- your DS deserves a better education than they are giving him now and you can get it without spending $10,000 a year. Look into this and see if it will help.

Your school might be required to pay the $10,000 fee to the private school, if it is deemed what is necessary for Daniel. Although more than likely they will try to offer something else such as special resources at your school, bussing him to another school in the district or bussing him to another public school which will offer the enrichment that he deserves, especially if you tell them that you feel sending him to the private school is best.

Individualized Educational Plans are very much a hot topic as for what the parents feel is appropriate and what the school feels is appropriate. There have been many lawsuits out there. that the school is willing to work with you to get Daniel the resources he deserves.

 

[my3princes]

I just wanted to give everyone a quick update on my neighbor, Louis, who was burned so badly. He has had skin transplants on his back and his left hand. It seems to have taken, and he can even bend the fingers on his left hand which is quite good! His right hand, however, is still in question. It was burned so badly, that literally, his fingers fused together. Right now, they are just keeping it in bandages while he heals. The best news is that they are letting him come home tomorrow. Originally, they told him that he would be in the hospital for at least 4 weeks, but he's doing so well, they're allowing him to come home, now. He will have to continue to go in to the hospital every day to have the bandages changed, and the burns scrubbed, but at least he'll be home for the holidays.

My husband took him our old laptop, and fitted it out with some voice recognition software, so he can still do some of his work while he is recuperating. I think he was really grateful for that, as he was worried about what would happen to his income. This will help. His spirits are good, and he is so thankful just to be alive. Thank you all for your prayers on his behalf, they are helping so much! It touches me (and the Jaspersons) to know that you all are praying for Louis.

That is great news. I'm glad that his progress is going so well. It was very nice of Alan to set up your old laptop for him. That must give him some relief. I'm sure that his spirits and the spirits of his family will be greatly uplifted with him at home for the holidays

Deb