VWL Lovers & Groupies thread: It all started with a Moose

[Muushka]

Teapot - love the pic! And you are so right about the crazy weather here, but that's New England for you.





All together now it's single digit dance time!





So I have some big & somewhat scary news to share. After much soul searching & lots of research we have made the decision to pull DS12 out of school & I will begin home schooling him as of next week (1st day of our trip). Some of you may remember that DS has Asperger Syndrome. He's very bright but school has always been difficult for him. Socially it's very difficult for him. No matter what we or the school have tried it just doesn't seem to click for him. He gets along fine with the other kids & they I think at least respect him for the knowledge he brings to certain subjects but beyond that he has no friends. It really breaks my heart. It used to be that he really didn't pay too much attention to it, but now that he's getting older it's starting to really bother him. The volume & pace of work is also not the best for him. He does have some accommodations, but getting new teachers to understand that every year is another story. He also has very black & white ideas of school work & home work. We're tired of clashing with the school over every little thing. Pulling him out & trying to get the school system to pay for an out of district placement doesn't seem like the best option either. Putting him in a school where he knows no one & no one knows him would not turn out well. He's been begging us to try home schooling so we're going to give it a shot. We've already given him some assignments to do while we're at Disney so some of the trip will count as school time. He wants to study the economics of Disney, ride/wait time management, & he's been "hired" by Disney to create the next big ride start to finish. He's already got some great ideas. Maybe he'll be the next great imagineer! I'm also thinking studying the food of different countries might be in order. Oh good it just happens to be the F&W festival! I plan to stop by the Japan pavillion & pick up a patience cat. I wonder if they have a wisdom cat too? I should probably pick up one of those too. It's really amazing how much I've forgotten. We'll be learning together I guess. I would appreciate any prayers, good thoughts, & moose dust you care to send my way. I'm going to need it!

Have a good day all!

As I read through all the posts, I just wanted to lift up all the parents with special needs children. And I love with Dizny Dad wrote

We know you have chosen such because of what your DS can become, not because of what DS is.

I posted this as a separate thread elsewhere in the Mouscellaneous forum but thought a few of you might enjoy the pixie dust story here. . .

Never Give Up. . .Never Surrender!

Wow! Congratulations! SCORE!!!!

Hey remember me? Yeesh. DD has been using the computer so much lately to do homework that I haven't been on it in about 2 weeks. I quick read through and kind of got caught up. I just gotta say you guys are awesome with the way you support everyone.
Kathy and TwoKats - I hope your Moms are doing well.
WD - Thanks for sharing with us about your wife. Sounds like she has quite the husband!
Stopher - Glad your wife's visit went well.
Horselover - Good luck with the home schooling!
My thoughts and prayers are with all our groupies and families who need them right now.

Hope you all have a great weekend and hopefully I will be able to check in sooner!
Love you all!

Hi DLI, good to see you! And I second everything she said!

Back from the cruise. Great weather, beautiful ship. Great time. A few little snafus, but all in all a good cruise. Glad to be home!

 

[stopher1]

Back from the cruise. Great weather, beautiful ship. Great time. A few little snafus, but all in all a good cruise. Glad to be home!

Yay, welcome back! So glad you had a great time.

 

[Muushka]

And Huge birthday wishes for our favorite Fox Scout........drum roll.....


Stopher!!! Birthday wishes for Stopher. And rumor has it, it is a milestone birthday!!

Happy Birthday Stopher!

 

[blossomz]

Welcome back Muushka!

Happy birthday stopher!

 

[jimmytammy]

Welcome Back Muushka!! How was your trip?

We were out of town over weekend, and Ranger Stan called. Tried calling him back last night, to no avail. But left message about groupie meet(s) in Dec. Hopefully hear from him soon!

 

[eliza61]

Happy Birthday Stopher!! Have a magical day.

Barb, welcome back!! Glad your trip was great. Details women, we need Details. LOL

 

[sleepydog25]

Congrats SleepyDog!!

Thanks to all for congrats--yep, I was surprised to have something break this late in the game. Would have been content with any property given the relatively late hour of the ressie for Christmas, but to score at the home resort--the most gorgeous property during the season, I might add--is some kinda special. . .

 

[horselover]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY STOPHER!!!

Welcome back Muushka! I'm with Eliza details please!

2 more days!!!!!

 

[Nicoal13]

Happy Birthday Stopher! Hope you have a great day!

Yes, Barb, details please

 

[Granny]

Stopher...

 

[twokats]

jumping1: Stopher

Hope it is a good one!

 

[DisneyNutzy]

Hi Groupies,

I have been absent for over 5 months but wanted to drop in and say hello. I hope everyone is doing well. I spend most of the spring and summer traveling with our softball team and not much time on the boards. I took the entire summer off from work as a retirement test drive and have been swamped since my return. Things are starting to settle down now and we have a trip approaching so I am finally finding some time for the Disboards. I just looked at WolfpackFans live trip report and the pics are really making me upset we won't be staying at the lodge on our upcoming trip.

Happy B-Day Stopher.

 

[DiznyDi]

Happy Birthday Stopher!

 

[Granny]

Muush....welcome back and glad you had a great trip!

SleepyDog...great news on your waitlist coming thru. I've got one of my own in the works for January and hopefully it will work out. I hope your trip is awesome!


DNutzy....great to see you again. Hope your trip is also awesome!

 

[KeepSwimmingDory]

Stopher--hope you have the best birthday ever!​

 

[Inkmahm]

Happy Birthday, Stopher!

 

[stopher1]

Thank you all for the nice birthday wishes! It was a GREAT, or even GRRRRRREAT day. My DW and a number of friends pulled off a very nice surprise party for me tonight at our Scout Troop meeting - so that was very cool. I was treated to a nice dinner last night by the wife and kids, and got some nice gifts today too. And I got a nice cash gift from them all, so I can choose what I want myself to boot! So that was pretty cool.

Today I joined the group that some people (far too many BTW) that think I'm now "over the hill"; while others think "life begins at..."; while still others think I'm just a young-un. It's amazing the perspectives you'll get when you tell someone your age. Even my own wife, who turns the same age that I did today in just a few months - turned to me last week and said, " you're not going to get all maudlin on me now that you're turning 40 are you? - I mean, just because you're about to crest the hill?" TO WIT I quickly replied, "I'm not cresting the hill, I still have a lot of hill to climb. Of course I'm not going to get all maudlin - 40 is the new 20, and life is just beginning." So there you go - I've entered my fifth decade, and am looking forward to all that it holds in the not too distant future. Like my 30's, it'll be a fun ride, I'm sure. During this time I'll have 2 kids learn to drive , and then later graduate from HS, and will head off to college... while the 3rd will turn 16 before I hit that next milestone and then want to learn to drive too; along with whatever other fun things await (dating, broken hearts, dances, and so much more). But as Jack Sparrow says - now bring me that horizon... I'm ready.

 

[jimmytammy]

Hey folks

Talked with Ranger Stan last night. He seems to be doing well, still enjoying retirement. I told him of our meets on Dec. 3 and 6. He is looking forward to meeting some new folks and reuniting with some familiar faces.

He does have a couple heath issues, one in particular that could potentially be serious...so if you can add him to your prayers, that would be great. He is going today about the more serious issue, so hopefully I can get some feedback in a few days and share.

TIA

 

[Muushka]

Stopher, it sounds like you had a great birthday . And some great gifts .
But most importantly, a great attitude.

JT, thank you for letting us know about Ranger Stan. He will be added to my list.

 

[Granny]

Jimmy...thank you for continuing to be our contact person with Ranger Stan and his wife. It's great that you do that and share the information with us. He is in my prayers as are all Groupies going through challenging times.