SHEs Organized

CI:
I have started writing down all the "extra" stuff I do, (even if it's after the fact!) just so I can actually SEE that I have not been just lying around all day long.
TODAY'S TA-DAS:
-- helped dh average his bp for the month
-- helped dh set out meds for the next few days
-- helped dh check online re: ds's savings bond interest
-- ate breakfast, s2s
-- called ServPro, no they still do not have a key to our condo, we will meet them tomorrow and give them a key
-- packed my clothes & dh's for weekend (he got his stuff together, I just put it in the bag and took it to the car)
-- went to post office
-- went to bank
-- went to key place
-- talked to ds on phone
-- arranged binders some more
-- reconciled checkbook statement/checkbook
-- read the paper

LadyM, I don't know have anything else to add re: your dd... it's so hard to know. I JUST SAW YOUR POST! I was going to say, if she is having trouble with any of her schoolwork, (you mentioned something about seeing things on the board, not "seeing" images in her mind when reading) it wouldn't hurt to have her tested. OTOH, if the counselor and your friend both see drawbacks, I wold DEFINITELY listen to them. DH here absolutely hates the "labeling" that accompanies dgs now. And he was never actually tested medically, just by the school.

As I have told ds & ddil, I am a great believer in the power of the IEP in public schools. One of my best friends is a (now retired) special ed teacher, and I have told ds/ddil that they should keep both dgrands on the IEP, even if there seems to be no need for it in the future. If a problem ever occurs, special ed teacher's will jump in to make sure the situation it taken care of. It's kind of an annoyance sometimes to the regular teacher, but it is a good backup insurance plan.
For example -- dgd has an IEP for speech. She has a LOT of trouble with pronunciation. She can't make her "P" sounds and some others. Some of their reading tests are graded based on how well they read aloud and how many words/minute. I told ds/ddil, DGD understands a lot more than she can SAY correctly. They need to make sure her pronunciation is not held against her when these reading tests occur. DGD is basically an ordinary student, makes good grades most of the time, and is generally more social than dgs ever was at her age. I don't think she has any disabilities other than her speech.

DGS knows he is autistic, but I don't think it bothers him in the least. He is extremely smart, tests far above grade level, makes good grades, but is pretty forgetful when it comes to things he should be self-disciplined about -- such as piano practice, etc. He still goes to the resource room once a week, I think, for "speech therapy," but it is more of a "conversation therapy," helping him learn to give and take when talking to others, to not dominate the conversation with "fun facts," etc. And it does seem to be working. He also goes to the "gifted" class once a week. Next week, they have a 2 night stay at the beach planned for a science field trip.
You may remember he went to therapy for a while, to help him stop chewing up everything in sight -- pencil erasers, paper, his shirts, tires off toy cars, etc. DDIL started this after we realized he had swallowed some small magnets. He is better about this now also, although I still see evidence of chewed up bits from time to time.
He is doing well though -- from a child who had a total meltdown at times of transition in pre-school, to a young man who feels comfortable in almost any situation (so far as we can tell!) and was chosen by his homeroom teacher today to be a student council representative. He's on the scholars bowl team and will be signing up for park league basketball soon. So he's good. I know it sounds like I'm bragging, but we're just so amazed at how well he's come along since those first years in school.

DS just called to say dgd has a sore throat and a bit of a rash on her face and chest. She has a doctor's appt tomorrow morning and may not get to make the College Town trip with us.

Well, good for you, Kathryn, on making the decision to take the cottage. You and your family will probably enjoy it so much!

Twins, dh & dmom have had the pneumonia vaccines. I'm not 65 yet, but I'll be taking it in a few years.
WTG on that workout!!! I absolutely HAVE TO do better with exercise, walking... SOMETHING.
I know they say you can't out-exercise a bad diet, but moving has to be better than not moving.
DH here is a believer in the chiropractor, but I don't go for the same reasons you mentioned -- I know it will be a commitment for the rest of my life if I want to stay an "active" patient. DH goes once a month, but in the beginning, it was three times/week.

I have a corn plant that is 40 years old, about seven feet tall... and so sad looking. It's pitiful. I've been told to cut it down low, but I am just scared to do it.

Must go to supper. BBL. Maybe!

Twins - I'm right there with you on the reluctant to sign up for repeated visit to chiropractor. I always refuse that option and tell them I'll call you when I need another appointment. There have been a couple times in my life that a visit to chiropractor gave me instant relief. Our previous family doctor was not a fan of chiropractor and spoke strongly against going to one. I respected his opinion but all I know is the chiropractor visit brought me relief when nothing else I tried worked.

her brother asking to be tested for asthma, and she doesn't want to be left out.

I didn't even think of this! I do wonder how much this influenced her request.

Autism testing chatter - I was advised that once the autism label is given, then it is for life. I was advised it will follow her into the future and could affect career choices. The label might disqualify her in certain career fields.
I do see the need for the label when special accommodation is needed in school. However, we haven't needed it because the accommodation that DD12 has requested in school has been granted without having the label. Not autism related but DD12 is on IEP for speech which gives her an hour of speech therapy each week.
I was told by a very respected SPED DFriend that she sees some aspects of autism in all of her grandkids. She said once you understand the many signs, symptoms, characteristics then you notice some of them in most everyone. None of her family/friends have the autism label but over the years they learn to make adjustment for the challenges.
I have heard several instances of parents using labels to excuse poor behavior in their child. Almost like they are turning their child into a victim and saying they can never learn or do better. I know the autism support pendulum swings wide in both ways - from being ignorant of ways to help vs giving up without trying.
I hope I have not offended anyone. I am truly trying to find the right approach that will benefit DD12 now and in the future.

Meeting one was over 14 minutes ago. I don't have the energy (or patience) to go to meeting two. I got the dishes washed up while boiling the kettle before my first meeting so I'll finish cleaning up the kitchen, get the dining room set up for the tech tomorrow, and move a few more files off my hard drive, and then head to bed.

My bs tanked ate and tested it later and I'm okay now.
Painted a market bag it was black & had logos on it for various companies I covered them with black paint.
It is drying now. I wanted to paint some thing but was not inclined to move the side tables out of the shed so did the bag instead.
Got the third plate today to match the others for my 3 tiered tea tray yea!
Bulbs are planted.
My new top tab dividers are in my planner now.

I was a reader from a very young age, and very shy about talking and meeting people. (I'm still shy and socially awkward (SP?).) I have had issues pronouncing words. I can spell most words and English teachers were always remarking on that on report cards. I had issues with words that started with "r" because I would say them like they started with a "y", so I had to leave the classroom for one-on-one time in another room working with workbooks and talking to whomever it was that did this with me. This was in grade school. I can't remember if it was a teacher or someone that came to the school to do this. I overcame that r/y thing, but I really wished that they had testing for ADD, etc, when I was in high school.

Dh is watching Duck Dynasty.

Oh definitely not offended here, LadyM! And I do agree, once you start looking at the “signs,” you can see some symptoms in everyone! Dgs have a certainly “high functioning,” and a lot of people probably wouldn’t say his little “quirks” = autism.
I’m glad they never wanted a medical diagnosis and never considered medicine. It probably helped that his elementary school teachers had something to go on to explain some of his behavior, but now, we rarely mention it. Ds/ddil don’t give him much slack behavior-wise; that’s for sure!

The thing is, you know your dd better than anyone, LadyM, and you have certainly done well so far! Trust your own instincts!

I am back on the phone and I can’t remember what I wanted to say earlier, except, Harmony — please give yourself some grace. You are doing sooo well under very trying circumstances! You just hang in there and take things one day at a time. You’ll get it all done eventually and you are doing a great job!

Thank you for the kind words. I was just having a pity party.

I noticed for the first time that the book I use for my little daily journal has an inspirational saying at the top of each page. It's in tiny white print and I've missed it. Today's: "I'm not afraid of storms, for I'm learning how to sail my ship". Louisa May Alcott. I looked to see if they're on every page and they are. On the general page at the start of July: "The secret of getting ahead is getting started". Mark Twain. Made me think of Dee as it's similar.

Ok, I made that cowboy casserole this afternoon. Here's my critique: it's a bit carb heavy. Put in a 9X12 pan like they suggest, the way it turns out the inches of the meat mixture is less than the inches of the corn bread on the top. It does stay right on the top and not make a mess going down through everything. And it tastes really good, the meat that is. I've had better corn bread recipes but still it is good. The meat mix is fairly dry, and I think somebody on the recipe page mentioned that she added some moist stuff, which I did. Mine was still a bit dry and I'd added a small can of tomato sauce. It still could have used more liquid. But all in all it was pretty good. I'd make it again but I'd add less of the corn bread on top and use the extra I didn't use in a couple muffins or something. And I'd add more moist stuff to the meat. I made mine with 2 lbs of meat. The salsa was good in it and added some spice. We use the mild one and if you want it more spicy I'd use spicier salsa.

Got through to the Medicare people. Turns out they pay for a wellness visit once a year (go over lab work, BP, temp. but nothing new and no new prescriptions ordered). Any other time one has a medical NEED they can go and get a covered office visit and lab work if it's called for. But there has to be a medical reason for those visits. Now I know why my doctor puts so much stuff on the other column in DH's lab order sheet. He's justifying why he's ordering these tests. I could call it milking the system... sigh.... Anyway, the way the Dr. does this, DH could go 4 times a year instead of 2, but for now I think 2 is enough.

I finished my study for tomorrow. Made a shopping list I'll stop and get on the way home. Phew. I'm tired already just thinking of that.

LadyM, if I had to guess, I'd wonder if DD's desire for testing is to figure out her memory stuff, why it was lost and why it's coming back...looking to make sense of all that. But what do I know, I'm just guessing.

One DGS has always been a little unpredictable. We used to think when he was younger that he was somewhat ADD. Dr. said he was borderline and it was up to the parents. Never medicated. He went off to college and managed to get his head together, and he's a Junior now, working a lot of hours, studying, in 2 sports with his school, and doing extra computer work on the side. We're all so pleasantly surprised and pleased for him. Another DGS had anxiety so bad while growing up, he was seeing a therapist. It truly was extreme. Now he's graduating college this year, lives in a townhome by himself, works in the college office and is doing a scientific study that will have his name on it, published. He's starting for his masters next year.

So, kids do mature and often grow out of these things that worry us so much when they're younger. As long as they're given a lot of love and support and help when they need it.

Ok that's ALL the wisdom I have right now. Have a nice night!