Beyond Measure

Chore Clipboard

noreply@blogger.com (Cassie) — Mon, 20 May 2013 22:04:00 +0000

Okay so we haven't actually implemented this new chore system but I wanted to share it anyway. I mentioned in my previous "behavior modification system" post (i.e. mommy is losing her mind from repeating herself a bazillion times a day), I am desperate to put systems in place that keep me from repeating myself over and over and over again. My ultimate goal is to have so many systems in place that I never have to talk again. Just kidding...sorta. With the success (after some tweaking) of our "Yay!" and "Oy!" sticks, I decided to create a new system to tackle chores, or a lack-thereof. I'm not sure the boys even know the word "chores" because they have never been asked to do any. And I mean never. There are several reasons for this but basically the biggest reason I don't ask them to contribute around the house is because I can do it faster...and better. I realize this is not a good reason and I'm not doing them (or myself) any favors by allowing them to avoid chores. So, starting this summer the boys will have a few chores.

I spent some time looking at different chore charts, I didn't see any one system that I loved but I did find ideas here and there that I liked so I combined a couple of different ideas and created my own system.

Side note: Do you ever feel like you spend more time "researching" ideas on Pinterest than you do actually making those ideas a reality?

Introducing: Magnetic Chore Clipboards!

Here's what I did.

I bought 1 inch round labels, used the template to print out a few chores.

I bought these 1 1/2 inch wood circles. I liked these because they were nice and thick so they seemed pretty sturdy. I spray painted them silver just to give them a bit of color and I just happen to have spray paint handy (when you make cardboard creations for Halloween you tend to have quite a few cans of spray paint sitting around). After the paint dried I stuck my chore labels on and did a light coat of modge podge (Mod Podge?, Modge Pod?, whatever it's called I love it) over the top to make sure the labels stay put. Finally I hot glued a magnet to the back of each circle.

Next I made my clipboards. I bought a few small clipboards, about $1.33 a piece. I spray painted them black (this step isn't necessary but like I mentioned before, I have quite a few cans of spray paint so I figure why not use them). I wanted the clipboards to be magnetic but I wasn't sure how to make that happen. I thought about buying magnetic paint but it cost like $20 and I wasn't entirely convinced it would work. So, I went to the local home improvement store and bought these:

I have no idea what these are but I got them in the building supply section and they only cost .60 cents a piece.

I cut them down the middle so I had flat metal plates to add to my painted clipboards.

I glued the metal plates down.

Basketball for Caleb and Race Car for Benjamin.

I also glued magnets to the back of each clipboard so I can stick them to the fridge.

This is how I envision the system working: I will place a few chores on their boards each day. As they complete each chore they move that chore circle to the "DONE!" clipboard. They must do everything on their clipboard.

Simple enough, right?

I figure this will play out one of two ways. One, the boys will be completely resistant to the idea of contributing and it will prove to be an uphill battle (that I will win) to get this system rolling. Or Two, the boys will be so enticed by my beautiful, creative, magnetic clipboards that they will jump at the opportunity to tackle their chores so they can move the circle to the "Done!" clipboard.

I'll keep you posted :)

Oh, and I have a few more things up my sleeve that I will share soon. I've been a busy girl with all these ideas. I think it has something to with my decision to homeschool. For some reason, that decision has led to other decisions. I'm telling you, this momma has been a busy bee.

Kickin' off summer bash!

noreply@blogger.com (Cassie) — Mon, 13 May 2013 02:59:00 +0000

We are very blessed to live in an area that has some great adaptive sports events. One of our favorites is the Rise Adaptive Sports: Kickin' Off Summer Bash. We go every year and it is always a great time. The event takes place on the lake and they have a variety of adaptive events to try.

Our first stop: Shooting a BB gun.

I love those 2 little freckles on the back of his ear.

We were headed to the next activity and then Caleb saw this:

Yep, they had a skate ramp.

We couldn't get Caleb off this thing. He just wanted to do it over and over and over.

He had so much fun.

He got quite a bit of ramp time before we literally had to drag him away so someone else could have a turn.

The robot was a big hit.

The petting zoo served as a nice distraction before Caleb insisted on doing the skate ramp again.

He got to see his buddy Bryce.

Benjamin fell in love with the bunnies. And I mean in love.

Seriously, Benjamin is quite smitten with the bunnies. He has not stopped talking about them. The boy really wants a pet bunny now. He is very specific about the kind of bunny he wants. He wants a black and white bunny and he is going to name it "Hot Wheels" because "bunnies are really fast".

We had a really great time at the event. The boys had so much fun. And, I left there convinced that we need to build Caleb his very own skate ramp in our backyard and Benjamin needs a pet bunny. Stay tuned to see how that pans out. :)

Our new Behavior Modification/Reward/Consequence system

noreply@blogger.com (Cassie) — Fri, 10 May 2013 19:19:00 +0000

I don't really know what to call it..."behavior modification", a "reward system", or a "mommy is tired of saying the same things over and over so we are trying something new before she loses her ever-lovin' mind" system. We've been doing the following "system" for about 2 months and it is working pretty well so I thought I would share it. Basically I wanted something in place that presented clear rules/expectations for the boys to follow. I did a quick search for "family rules" and a found a ton of really cute ideas but most of them involved a huge canvas, tons of pretty paper, and multiple layers of modge podge (you can see an example of what I am talking about by clicking here). While I liked the idea, I didn't like all the effort. So I modified and came up with this easier (and much cheaper) version:

I bought a cheap 11X14 frame at Walmart. Typed up my "rules", printed them out and stuck them to different scrapbooking paper that I already had. Done.

(I actually had more rules that I wanted to add but I ran out of room so I just chose the ones most important to me at this time.)

Next I needed some kind of reward/consequence system in place to go along with the family rules. You follow the rules or get caught doing something super nice then you get an immediate reward. You break a rule, then you get an immediate consequence. Here's what I came up with:

"Yay!" for a reward
"Oy!" for a consequence

I took craft sticks, painted one side blue, one side green. Green for Caleb, Blue for Benjamin. I typed up a bunch of rewards for our "Yay!" sticks, and a bunch of consequences for the "Oy!" sticks. I printed them out and modge podged them to the sticks. I won't share all the different things on the sticks because what motivates my kids might not work with yours but I tried to use rewards that were immediate, like "pick something from the prize box" and consequences that were also immediate, like "go to your room for 10 minutes". I also included a monetary incentive with this, here's what I came up with:

"Cha-Ching!"

If the boys pull a "Yay!" stick that reads "Cha-Ching!" then they get a card with a hidden monetary value. I did .25, .50, .75, and $1. They can also lose money if they pull an "Oy!" stick with that consequence.

I had read somewhere that you could create your own "scratch off" ticket using dish soap and acrylic paint. I tried that for my "Cha-Ching!" cards because I thought the boys would get a kick out it...but it didn't work well for me. The paint circle just peals off, it doesn't scratch at all. The cards are laminated so I can use them over and over again. I don't think I'll do the scratch off again though.

I found some cheap ($1) wooden treasure chest boxes at Michael's and I had the boys paint them. They use the treasure chests to keep any "Cha-Ching!" money they earn.

Caleb painting his treasure chest.

Don't let those baby blues and that sweet grin fool you folks...he can be a big stinker. He has really tested me recently, which is the main reason I started this whole "system" in the first place. I love that kid, but man he has been pushing my buttons lately. Good grief, he sure his cute though.

Benjamin painting his treasure chest.

I ended up just printing out paper quarters for the "Cha-Ching!". I was going to get real quarters from the bank...but I got lazy and opted not to.

The boys have the option to save or spend their "Cha-Ching!" money.

As I mentioned before, we have been doing this system for about 2 months and it is working pretty well. I mostly wanted something that would keep me from having to talk so much. I feel like I repeat the same things over and over again with little to no results. I don't think these kids hear me anymore. I'm tired of hearing myself, so I know they have to be tired of hearing me too. With this little system in place, I don't have to talk so much. If one of them breaks a rule, all I have to say is "Go get an Oy! stick." That's it. I'm done talking. End of story. And it has been fun to surprise them with "Yay!" sticks when they are following the rules. It's also been fun to see what motivates them. They are very different kids. I'm going to tweak the sticks some because I've learned that what motivates Benjamin doesn't have the same impact on Caleb and vice versa. Benjamin couldn't care less about extra t.v. time but that is a big motivator for Caleb. Caleb will always pick the piece of candy out of the prize box (immediate gratification) while Benjamin has never chosen candy, he always picks a small toy (something that lasts).

Benjamin has also surprised me in his discipline. He has had his eyes on this particular Hot Wheels track at the store. He wanted it bad. This kid saved up his "Cha-Ching" money for 6 weeks!! He's 4 years old! Last week he finally had enough money to buy the track.

Seriously, I couldn't believe he saved and saved, waited and waited.

So that is a quick run-down of our current "system". So far, so good.

I've been working on some other things as well...I'll share those later :)

Making cookies

noreply@blogger.com (Cassie) — Thu, 09 May 2013 01:55:00 +0000

This morning Benjamin sat down next to me on the couch and said, "Hey mom, let's make cookies". Hmmm, sounds like a good idea to me!

Pouring the ingredients.

Stirring is hard work.

Scooping out the Chocolate-Chocolate Chip cookie dough.

So yummy.

Glad Benjamin thought of it. Smart boy.

Fitted for KAFO's

noreply@blogger.com (Cassie) — Wed, 08 May 2013 02:20:00 +0000

Three months ago Caleb saw his ortho doctor and I asked for KAFO's (Knee-Ankle-Foot-Orthosis). I wanted them because I could see that Caleb was motivated to walk, he wanted to walk, but his knees just can't take him more than a few steps. The ortho fought me a little on the KAFO's at that time, and gave us knee immobilizers instead. The knee immobilizers seemed promising at first but I quickly realized that they weren't the right thing for Caleb. It seemed like they hindered more than they helped.

So today we went back to ortho and I had already decided that I wasn't leaving there until Caleb had been fitted for some KAFO's. Mama Bear was ready to fight...well I didn't have to. Ortho agreed and Caleb was fitted for KAFO's and a new pair of AFO's (he has outgrown his current pair).

He was fitted for AFO's first.

Next came the KAFO fitting. This took quite some time. Thank goodness for the Ipod.

Cutting the cast off.

A perfect mold of his leg. Pretty cool.

We pick up the braces at the end of May. I can't wait to see how the KAFO's turn out.

Bike Ridin' Fun!

noreply@blogger.com (Cassie) — Mon, 06 May 2013 19:42:00 +0000

The weather was beautiful this past weekend so we took advantage of the mild temps by taking the boys to ride their bikes. When you live in Texas and the scorching heat of summer is rapidly approaching, you take advantage of gorgeous weather because soon it will be too hot to even walk to the mailbox.

We took the boys up to a school parking lot so they would have plenty of room. Benjamin got his bike for Christmas and has only had a few opportunities to ride...so he needs open space to practice his newly learned bike riding skills. And Caleb drives like a maniac so open space is good for him too.

Benjamin did really well. He has gotten the hang of it for the most part.

Such an awesome cycle.

Caleb had to sit in time out for 5 minutes because he drove right into Benjamin...on purpose. He wasn't too happy about sitting on the curb, as you can tell from the grumpy look on his face.

While Bubba was sulking in time-out, Benjamin took the cycle for a spin. He loved it.

I even took Caleb's cycle for a quick ride. It is so much fun. Man, that cycle is fast and it really works the shoulders and arms. So fun.

The boys had a great time riding their bikes. It was lucky we took them out when we did because the next day Caleb had a sore throat and fever so we've been cooped up since.

Life Rolls On: They Will Skate Again

noreply@blogger.com (Cassie) — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 19:37:00 +0000

So last year Caleb had the opportunity to try some "extreme sitting" at the Life Rolls On: They will skate again event, hosted by Rise Adaptive Sports. He had a blast and has talked about it almost weekly for the past year. He was so excited to learn that the event was coming to our area again this year. So Saturday we headed out so Caleb could shred it at the skate park.

Sportin' his new "Wheelz" t-shirt. It seemed appropriate.

(good grief, could this kid be any bigger!)

Stalling at the top of a ramp...not too sure he wants to go down.

Sometimes even a 7 year old needs to hold Daddy's hand.

Sometimes you need a little pep talk from an experienced extreme sitter. A big thank you to Christiaan Bailey for offering his time on Saturday.

Sometimes you need a little push too.

All smiles.

Um...that ramp is a little steep folks. Don't worry, there were a ton of volunteers out there to help the kids up and down the ramps.

Take a wheelchair down some steps? Hmmm...what could possibly go wrong here?

It ain't extreme sitting until you flip over in your chair and take a volunteer down with you. Don't worry, he was fine. Lesson: Wheelchairs and stairs are not friends.

Benjamin had his own kind of fun.

Putting leaves down a drain hole.

Running up ramps.

Caleb had so much fun. He was most upset when it was time to go. I'm so thankful he has these opportunities. It is so fun to watch him challenge himself and try new things.

We had a fantastic day.

Gettin' a sports chair!!

noreply@blogger.com (Cassie) — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 18:20:00 +0000

Last fall we applied (through Challenged Athletes) for Caleb to get a grant for his very own sports chair, specifically for basketball. We have been waiting months to hear back and we recently found out that he was awarded a grant! We are so excited. The grant doesn't cover the full cost of the sports chair (those babies are pretty pricey) but it gave us enough that we could cover the rest on our own. Caleb went to Per4Max last week to get fitted for his new chair.

While we were there we got a sneak peek at how they make all the chairs in-house.

It was really neat.

It's remarkable how they can transform these plain pipes into amazing sports chairs!

This is the style of chair Caleb will be getting. He chose Royal Blue for the frame with white rims on the wheels. We can't wait to see it. It should be ready in just a few weeks! Yay!

School and Basketball pictures

noreply@blogger.com (Cassie) — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 18:08:00 +0000

Both boys recently had their pictures done at school.

Somewhat of a "toothy" grin...but still a good lookin' boy :)

Caleb also had some basketball pictures taken.

So cute.

If you've ever wondered what a four year old would look like with a toupee...

...it might look something like this.

Poor Benjamin was in desperate need of a haircut but I just didn't get to it before he had his school pictures taken. He still looks cute with his little hands folded so sweetly on his knee. Love that boy.

Meeting Thomas the Tank Engine

noreply@blogger.com (Cassie) — Sat, 20 Apr 2013 02:34:00 +0000

Once a year Thomas the Tank Engine comes to our area. Like most little boys, Benjamin loves trains so we decided to take the boys to see Thomas up close and personal.

Getting ready to leave the station.

I think Caleb is probably a little too old to really appreciate riding Thomas the Train. Benjamin was super excited....Caleb was just along for the ride.

Benjamin brought his Thomas toy along.

After our train ride, the boys got some temporary tattoos.

Caleb was super careful with his tattoo all day. He asked me a million times if it still looked good and he wouldn't wash it off in the bath...so he went to bed with the tattoo on his face tonight.

There was a miniature train display.

This was Benjamin's favorite part of the entire day. I think we could have skipped the actual train ride (and saved quite a few dollars) and just watched the mini trains and he would have been in heaven. Seriously, he could have watched these trains all day long.

Caleb eventually got bored with the trains and went outside to watch a magic show.

First taste of funnel cake. So yummy!

The boys watching a blacksmith make cowboy hats out of nickels.

Kinda cool.

Seriously, the boy loves trains. He had so much fun today.

Unexpected Detour: Homeschooling

noreply@blogger.com (Cassie) — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 17:27:00 +0000

So, we've decided to homeschool Caleb next year. I don't think anyone is more surprised by this decision than I am. I have always considered homeschool as an option and I've kinda kept the idea in my back pocket as an alternative to public school if we ever needed to make that switch. I figured I would homeschool if I had to. I truly wasn't expecting to start this chapter in life right now. Gotta love those unexpected chapters in life, right? I have dozens of reasons for making this choice (2 full pages to be exact) and I'm not going to go into all of them here but I do want to share 2 of the biggest reasons that brought us to this point.

TIME: There just isn't enough of it. Caleb is gone a full 8 hours every school day, that's 40 hours a week! I barely get to see him. The time I do have with him is rushed because we have to get out the door for school every morning and when he gets home he has PT or horseback riding which takes an hour or more. After that, I have to make dinner, there is homework, bath, and bed by 7:45. I have almost no time with him at all. And the time I do have with him is often strained because he is so tired from a long day at school. Tired kid = A Grumpy Kid. I just want more time with him. I look at him now and I can't believe he is 7 1/2 years old, it has gone by in a blink. He's growing before my eyes and I feel like I'm missing it.

HEART: I feel like I've lost a little bit of Caleb this year. He has changed. We have dealt with some behavior changes in him this past year and I don't like it. I think there are several factors that have contributed to some of the less desirable behaviors we have seen lately. It's been a tough year for him...and for me. I think some of his behavior is just being tired. I get glimpses of my sweet Caleb on weekends when he is rested and relaxed. He is just a different kid. I think the long school days, the constant rushing, the daily stress is too much for him and I know it is too much for me. I just feel like he needs to be home. I fear that if I don't step in now and get a hold of his heart....then I may miss my chance.

I have felt such discontent this past year. I feel like my relationship with Caleb has changed and there is a disconnect somewhere. This sounds so terrible but I found myself actually praying for God to help me enjoy my kids. Really enjoy them. Savor them. I love my boys so much but I don't always enjoy them. I feel like a terrible mom for even admitting such a thing....but maybe I'm not the only one. Everything is always so rushed and stressed. I'm weary from it all. The decision to homeschool came quick and without warning. Over Spring Break I got a week long glimpse of a rested, relaxed, well-behaved Caleb. I saw brothers playing together, laughing together, and enjoying each other. I was more relaxed. I was enjoying my kids. It was so nice. Then the week was over, Caleb went back to school and immediately the strain, stress, and discontent was back. Within a couple of days I made the decision to homeschool Caleb next year. I know, without a doubt, that this is what God wants us to do. I think homeschooling is His answer to my request to enjoy my kids. I made the decision in faith with my heart. I didn't do any research on homeschooling until I had made the decision, which I am thankful for. I have done nothing but read about homeschooling for the last 3 weeks and everything I have read has only confirmed and solidified my decision to homeschool. I'm glad I made the decision with my heart first, the decision has given me such peace. While the decision came easy, it is bittersweet. Caleb has been at his school since he was 3 years old. It's all he knows. We have been so blessed to have such a wonderful school. We have had hiccups here and there but for the most part public school has been a positive experience for us. I didn't expect to be leaving his school so soon. I've invested so much this year at his school with Inclusion Week. I thought for sure that I would continue to do that for the years to come and impact the entire district. But maybe it was just my job to get it started and then let someone else take over.

So, we're homeschooling next year (Caleb will be finishing out this school year). I'm nervous about it. I'm not so nervous about the "schooling" part of it because there are an endless stream of resources out there. There are so many different approaches and methods to homeschooling, I've enjoyed reading about all of them. I had no idea there was so much possibility! I am nervous that Caleb won't be accepted. He is going to have to start all over with making friends. Everyone at his school knows him but no one in the homeschool community does. There are a ton of local activities, groups, co-ops for families that homeschool which is such a blessing. I guess I'm worried about the same thing I worried about when Caleb entered public school. Will he make friends? Will he be accepted? Will people look past the green wheelchair and see the most awesome 7 year old ever? Will they take the time to get to know him? Will he be happy?

This is such a giant step for our family. I don't doubt the decision, I know it is what we are supposed to do. This decision is the best thing for our family right now. Even though I know all that, I'm still worried. As I type this, with tears in my eyes, I'm reminded that if I'm in the middle of His will, then there's nothing left to fear. I'm trusting Him.

Tethered Cord Surgery...One year later

noreply@blogger.com (Cassie) — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 18:55:00 +0000

Wow. Has it really been a year already? I just need to let that soak in a bit. It has not been an easy year, and the truth is that Caleb is not where I expected him to be. I never dreamed we would be a year out from surgery and he still wouldn't have gained back the function he had prior to surgery. That stings a bit...it's been stinging for a year now.

I remember sitting down with Caleb a couple of days before he was scheduled to have surgery. I explained to him the reasons he needed surgery and I promised that the surgery would help him. I told him that the surgery would help him walk better. I feel like I mislead him.

I didn't know he would have to start all over. I didn't know that he would lose everything that he had worked so hard to gain. I wasn't prepared for that. I didn't prepare him for that.

I just told him what everyone had told me. I was told that the recovery would take weeks, not months, and certainly not a year. I wish I had been better prepared for what could be. I wish someone had told me, had prepared me, so that I could have done a better job at preparing him.

Despite the fact that we had to start at the bottom of the mountain, despite the fact that we have already climbed this mountain before, Caleb has been a trooper. He always has been. He has pushed through physical therapy 3 times a week. Every week, for the past year.

He works hard. He may not be where he was and he may not ever gain back the function he had. But let me tell you, it isn't for lack of trying. He has given everything he has. I am in awe of him.

(he's a fantastic speller by the way)

Yep, that about sums him up.

Future Hoarder?

noreply@blogger.com (Cassie) — Sat, 30 Mar 2013 01:34:00 +0000

I have this cute little decorative box on our console table. It serves no real purpose, I just like it.

I've never actually put anything inside of it...but apparently someone else has been.

My little decorative box is full of random keepsakes. It appears Benjamin has claimed my decorative box as a safe place to store his goods.

Let's take a look and see.

He might just be a little hoarder in the making.

Love that kid.

8 years ago today....

noreply@blogger.com (Cassie) — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 19:18:00 +0000

...I was sitting in a doctor's office, 18 weeks pregnant, being told that my son had Spina Bifida. The picture painted was not pretty. I was told my son would have a poor quality of life, assuming he survived at all. What this doctor failed to mention was the fact that my son would have the best smile, the prettiest blue eyes, a contagious laugh, a courageous spirit, and a sensitive heart. This doctor failed to mention that my son would inspire, educate, encourage, and redefine. This doctor failed to mention how much I would love this child, how much he would change me, and how much joy he would bring to my life. 8 years ago today I began an unexpected chapter in my life. Often, the unexpected chapters of life are the very best ones.

Regardless of where you stand on the abortion issue, whether you are "right to life" or "right to choose", I think we can all agree that a doctor that gives outdated and false information, presented as fact, that could potentially lead to the termination of a pregnancy, is irresponsible and unacceptable. It happens all the time. I see at least 2 people a week join the Spina Bifida BabyCenter group because they have just received the SB diagnosis. They have been told horrible, awful, and completely inaccurate information by their doctors. Thankfully these parents stumble upon the group and we are able to give them the truth. We are able to show them how wonderful our kids are. I know for a fact that group has saved lives. It's a terrible shame to think about the babies that don't get a chance because parents made a decision based on the information (false information) they had at the time. Unacceptable.

Resurrection Diorama

noreply@blogger.com (Cassie) — Mon, 18 Mar 2013 00:45:00 +0000

I first got this idea from a fellow SB mom. I had planned to do it last year but then this thing called tethered cord surgery happened and I never got around to doing it.

Supplies needed:

Plant pot saucer

Small plant pot

Decorative stones

Skinny sticks (for the crosses)

Ribbon (used to gold the crosses together)

Dirt/Soil

Grass seed

Basically you just pour your dirt into the saucer and around your small planter. Add decorative rocks, make 3 crosses with your sticks, sprinkle some grass seed on top, add a larger stone for the front of your tomb. Done.

Our finished diorama.

(fingers crossed the grass actually grows)

On Good Friday we will put a small doll inside the tomb and put the stone in place. When the boys wake up on Easter morning the stone will be rolled away and the doll gone. I think it is such a great visual for kids to learn from. I'm excited to do it. I'll post pictures of how it looks once the grass grows...assuming the grass actually grows :).

Tooth #8

noreply@blogger.com (Cassie) — Sun, 17 Mar 2013 18:51:00 +0000

Caleb lost tooth #8 yesterday!

This tooth has been loose forever. He was so excited because this tooth fell out on its own....meaning daddy didn't have to do a tooth extraction.

Our "Staycation" Day Five

noreply@blogger.com (Cassie) — Sat, 16 Mar 2013 03:28:00 +0000

Today was the final day of "Our Staycation with Shaun the Sheep". Glenn took off work and joined us for some family fun. We decided to take the boys to the Fort Worth Stockyards. The boys have never been and it has been ages since I have been.

We checked out the steers first.

They were just chillin' in the sun.

With my boys.

Next we grabbed some lunch. Yummy barbeque.

Benjamin kept himself entertained by blowing up the utensil baggie and then trying to pop it.

Next, we stopped by the candy store.

Really?

Caleb with a candy mustache. He's also wearing a mustache shirt.

Benjamin picked out a small lollipop.

A vintage train runs right through the stockyards. Considering Benjamin's love of trains we had to get tickets to ride the train.

Feeling the track to see if the train is coming.

Lil' stinker.

Here comes the train.

This was a real train. A really big train. Benjamin was so excited.

Of course, Shaun the Sheep joined us.

After the train ride we headed over to the petting zoo.

The boys loved feeding the animals.

Caleb hugging a goat.

The best part of the petting zoo was watching Caleb get assaulted by a camel. Hysterical.

This camel had no respect for people's personal space. He just got right in your face.

Benjamin wouldn't go anywhere near the camel.

One last picture before we headed home. I love that I am the only one looking at the camera.

Way too much fun for this little guy.

It really was a fun day. The boys had a blast and there was a ton of things for them to do. We didn't get to do everything so we will definitely be taking them back soon.

Our "Staycation" Day Four

noreply@blogger.com (Cassie) — Fri, 15 Mar 2013 02:14:00 +0000

We didn't have anything major planned today so the boys enjoyed a leisurely breakfast...in their beds! For some reason they think eating in bed is the coolest thing ever.

A little milk on the chin :)

After running a quick errand, we came home and made lemonade.

The boys wanted to have another picnic outside today and Caleb specifically asked that we picnic in the grass instead of at the table. So we I made lunch and we headed outside to eat and enjoy the fresh lemonade.

Watching a plane.

Look at that sweet face.

We have been really blessed with some gorgeous weather this week. It has been great.

Our "Staycation" Day Three

noreply@blogger.com (Cassie) — Thu, 14 Mar 2013 01:56:00 +0000

Today we met Bryce and Nathan at Peter Pipers for some pizza and arcade fun.

He loves the dump truck game. This game is a major token hog.

Love that little hand trying to reach the puck.

And yes, Shaun the Sheep did join us for some arcade fun. He hung out on the back of Caleb's wheelchair.

Shooting some baskets.

Nothin' but net on that shot.

Benjamin is very dangerous with skee ball. That kid had balls flying everywhere. He has a super strong arm...but not the best aim.

Bryce, Caleb, and Nathan.

The boys were so busy doing their own thing that this is the only pic I got of them together.

Our same boys...just much younger. Bittersweet.

This afternoon Caleb had horseback riding.

I just want to brag on him a bit. Caleb doesn't like to be up high and he doesn't like unexpected noises. So being on top of a large animal that can neigh or sneeze without warning is out of his comfort zone. Starting horseback riding again after such a long break from it has cause some anxiety in Caleb. He was very anxious this afternoon as we were getting ready to head out for his lesson. We had a long talk about it. I told him that it was okay to be nervous but that sometimes we need to push past that nervous feeling. We talked about "Wheelz" (you fellow SB parents know who I'm talking about) and how nervous he must be when he is looking down the mega ramp getting ready to zoom down it to land another wheelchair back flip. I also told him to talk to God when he feels nervous like that and to pray for peace. He even said a short prayer in the car before we got out to ride. By the end of our talk, Caleb had mostly pulled himself together and was ready to ride. I could tell that he was still anxious but he pushed through. I was just super proud of him for being brave, for stepping out of his comfort zone even though he didn't want to. Love that kid.

Our "Staycation" Day Two

noreply@blogger.com (Cassie) — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 01:45:00 +0000

This morning we started the second day of our "Staycation" by going to get doughnuts. Always a favorite with the boys.

Mmmmm....lip-lickin' good.

Benjamin stepped out of his usual chocolate covered doughnut comfort zone, and chose a sprinkled doughnut.

So what do you do with 2 boys that are all hopped-up on sugar?

Take them to the park!

It was early enough and still cool enough (only in the mid-50's) that the playground was completely empty. We had the park to ourselves for a good 30 minutes before 6 daycare buses full of kids pulled up!

This accessible playground has a personal story behind it. You can read about it by clicking here and here. There is also a local news story video about the accessible playground with Caleb in it (he was 4 years old). So cute.

Shaun the Sheep joined us for some playground fun.

Working his way up the ramp.

Love him.

Stopping to brush up on his sign language. I think Inclusion Week inspired him.

They were supposed to go down the slide together...

....the four year old got impatient and went without his bubba.

Walking on the "balance beam" (aka the curb)

Love him too.

Blowing dandelions.

Throwing sticks.

Having fun at the park works up quite an appetite. We enjoyed a picnic lunch at home in our own backyard.

Sweet boy.

Our "Staycation" Day One

noreply@blogger.com (Cassie) — Tue, 12 Mar 2013 02:06:00 +0000

"Our Staycation (with Shaun the Sheep)" officially started today. Unfortunately it began with Caleb having a dentist appointment...not his most favorite thing to do.

Benjamin (and Shaun the Sheep) looking at the trains while we waited for the dentist.

Caleb wanted Shaun to join him for his dentist appointment too.

(this photo cracks me up)

For the most part Caleb's teeth look good except he has a molar that is loose. That may not sound like a big deal but apparently it is a molar that shouldn't fall out until he is around 12...he's 7. So they did an x-ray and he has "ectopic eruption of a molar". Basically he has another molar that is trying to come through but it is coming through kinda crazy and putting pressure on the nerve of the molar next door, causing damage to the nerve, therefore causing the tooth to be loose way before it should. So they want to watch it closely, another set of x-rays in 6 months. It could mean some dental work in the near future but only time will tell.

Now for the fun part of our day...Make a Volcano!

I told Caleb to make a face like he would if a volcano erupted by our house.

I made a volcano with the boys last summer, they loved it. We actually made the volcano ourselves last time, we used a kit this time ( I like the kit much better ).

Mixing up the plaster.

After you mix the plaster, you pour it into the volcano mold to let it harden (about 30 minutes).

Our volcano is ready to be painted.

I love watching them work on projects together.

The kit came with cardboard figures. Funny.

Getting ready for the big eruption.

It is more of a slow fizz than an actual eruption but the boys thought it was cool anyway.

Our "Staycation"

noreply@blogger.com (Cassie) — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 02:26:00 +0000

So the boys are officially on Spring Break this week. Last year we took a trip to San Antonio but this year we are staying home. No big plans. Even though we are sticking close to home, I wanted to make the time off fun for the boys. So I decided to do something similar to our Cool Summer Days from last summer. I wanted a "theme". I decided to make a daily activities poster based around their favorite show:

I don't know if any of you are familiar with this show but it is hysterical. Glenn and I enjoy it as much as the boys do. There are only 2 seasons of it on Netflix but the boys have yet to tire of watching the same episodes over and over and over again. It is greatness.

And the theme is:

I made a small poster with 5 pockets, one for each day of the week (I had to download the "Shaun the Sheep" font). I'll put the activity for the day in the pocket for the boys to read when they get up in the morning.

I even found a small plush "Shaun" for the boys to include in on our activities.

(side note: Caleb is still picking out his clothes each day and I love that he picked out the tie shirt I made for Valentines Day today. He said he wanted to look nice for church.)

Benjamin is excited!!

Back in the saddle

noreply@blogger.com (Cassie) — Fri, 08 Mar 2013 23:06:00 +0000

Caleb started back with therapeutic horseback riding this week. It's been about a year and a half since he has ridden. He started riding when he was 3 but we had to stop in the fall of 2011 because he was having a lot of headaches and then last spring he had his TC surgery. So, horseback riding has been on the back burner for some time now.

Caleb riding at age 3. So cute.

I was really excited about signing him up again. We saw a lot of progress when he rode before so I'm hopeful that we will see similar results this time around. We pay out of pocket for it, which kind of stinks, but I'm willing to do it if it helps Caleb. Plus it is a nice break from physical therapy. We decreased his PT from 3 times a week to 2 times now that he is riding again.

He was a bit nervous about riding again but once he got on the horse he seemed pretty comfortable. He remembered all the verbal cues to make the horse do what he wanted.

While Bubba was riding, Benjamin kept himself busy outside.

Checkin' out the ponies.

"Look mom, a rock!"

Searching for more rocks.

And, of course, throwing the rocks.

There are a lot of benefits to horseback riding and I'm excited to see what the next few weeks bring for Caleb.

Encouraging Independence: Picking out clothes

noreply@blogger.com (Cassie) — Wed, 27 Feb 2013 19:50:00 +0000

We've been dealing with some attitude issues with Caleb. There has been a lot of eye rollin' and "whatever!" lately. I know some of this behavior is just him growing up, stretching those attitude muscles, and testing boundaries. I also think a big part of it stems from him wanting to control. I was thinking about the fact that he really doesn't have a lot of control over things in his life. So much of his day is planned for him. Because of Spina Bifida and all the things it effects there are certain things that have to take place at certain times of the day (you fellow SB parents know what I'm talking about). There really isn't a lot of wiggle room when it comes to his medical needs. It has to be done and it has to be done at certain times. Period. To some extent he doesn't have control over his own body either. His body isn't able to do all the things Caleb would like for it to do and sometimes his body does things he doesn't want it to do. He doesn't get a say. He works hard at school all day and then he comes home to an hour of PT three times a week. It's work. He doesn't really want to do it but he has to. He doesn't get a say. So, my point is that I think some of Caleb's behavior could be a result of just plain frustration along with just normal 7 year old attitude. I've been trying to think of simple ways I can give him some control. It occurred to me the other day that I still pick out his clothes for him! Why am I doing that? He's 7, he can pick out his clothes. So, he started picking out his clothes a few days ago but it has been difficult because the closet isn't terribly accessible. I've had to pull out shirts one at a time so he could decide which one he wanted. He needed a way to see all of the clothes in the closet easily. I had the perfect solution to this problem. Here is what I did. I took pictures of all of his clothes and then created a collage in Picasa.

This worked perfectly. I did a collage with just t-shirts/short sleeves and a collage with long sleeves. I was able to get 25 photos on each page. I printed each page out and put them in protective sleeves. I went ahead and did Benjamin's clothes too. That 4 year old is always looking to control something so I figured he can start by picking out his clothes.

Seriously, this looks way more complicated than it was. It was so easy and really only took me about an hour to do. Picasa made it super easy to create a collage, I didn't have to edit any photos or even crop anything.

Benjamin looking over his shirt choices.

"Hmmm...what should I wear tomorrow?"

Caleb loved this. I think choosing his own clothes really makes him more proud of his appearance because he got a say in it.

His outfit choice for today. He's so stinkin' handsome.

He really likes to layer things. He chooses a short sleeve shirt and then a long sleeve shirt to go under it.

Benjamin's outfit choice for today.

This sweet boy has been sick all week. I took him to the doctor on Monday because I was certain he had croup and an ear infection. Well it turns out that he actually has a touch of pneumonia! I had no idea. He has been on medicine since Monday and I think he is getting better. He still seems pretty tired but he is playing more.

So anyway, picking out clothes is our first step at giving Caleb, and Benjamin too, more control. I'm going to think of other simple ways to encourage independence. It may not be the cure for all the eye rollin' and "whatever!"s but it can't hurt. I'll continue to share some of my ideas on the blog. I figure if this is an area that we struggle in, someone else might be struggling too. If you have some "encouraging independence" ideas you would like to share, then leave a comment.

Fun at Granny and Paw-Paw's

noreply@blogger.com (Cassie) — Mon, 25 Feb 2013 20:05:00 +0000

(Before I get to our fun day with Granny and Paw-Paw, I wanted to mention my last post "Are we too sensitive?". As of this second, that post has received 782 hits, since Friday when I posted it. That boggles my mind. I know so many of you shared that post and it spread like crazy. I was not expecting that. I never intended for that post to get so much attention. I was just writing about something that had been on my mind for some time. Most of my posts get, on average, 50-75 views. Some posts get more, but rarely are they over 200 hits unless it is a big topic. I just really don't get a lot of traffic so it has been surreal to see that almost 800 people have read that recent post. It's crazy. I just want to say "thank you" again to all of you that contributed to the post by commenting to my question on Facebook. I couldn't have written that post without your input.)

Enough of that, let's get to the pictures!

We recently spent the day at Granny and Paw-Paw's house. The boys love going to see their great-grandparents. We haven't been out there since Christmas so the boys were very excited.

I took a ton of pictures...as usual.

The first thing they wanted to do was play with Nikki. They love Nikki.

Benjamin insisted we buy a toy for Nikki, so we did.

Benjamin was trying to pull up a stick for Nikki to play with.

Their next favorite thing to do is ride in the golf cart.

Apparently Nikki wanted to go for a ride too. She also wanted to give Caleb kisses.

Nikki is giving Caleb lots and lots of kisses.

Caleb trying to get away from all the dog kisses.

Nikki decides to just sit on Caleb.

Recline on Caleb.

Smooshing Caleb's face.

I was laughing so hard by this point I could barely breathe. I eventually stopped taking pictures and helped the boy out.

Riding on the golf cart with my little man.

We stopped to visit the goats.

I really want a goat. They are so cute.

We hitched the trailer to the golf cart so Paw-Paw could take them for a spin.

The boys loved this!

Benjamin found a wheelbarrow to play with.

Putting a pile of rocks on the wheelbarrow.

Trying to push the wheelbarrow.

Uh oh, it tipped over.

Trying to get it back up.

It's really heavy and awkward.

The stubborn wheelbarrow made Benjamin mad (look at that face!).

All smiles once he sits on the riding lawn mower.

As if we weren't having enough fun, Paw-Paw built a fire.

Benjamin loved the fire pit. He had more fun finding sticks, rocks, and leaves to throw into the fire.

Caleb kept a safer distance.

Seriously, Benjamin couldn't stop himself from throwing things into the fire. He's a little pyro.

After roasting some mellows on the fire, we took a short hike.

Caleb gets a free ride on daddy.

Benjamin navigates the tough terrain on his own.

We had a great time at Granny and Paw-Paw's!