Beyond Measure

Slip 'n Slide Fun

noreply@blogger.com (Cassie) — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 02:31:00 +0000

Nothing welcomes summer like dusting off the Slip 'n Slide for an afternoon of fun. The boys loved the Slip 'n Slide last summer and they have been begging to get it out. Such a simple, and inexpensive activity (if you don't count the millions of dollars spent in constant water flow)!

Before I get to the slippin' and slidin' fun, I have to share Caleb's recent purchase. He has been saving his "Cha-Ching" money for a while now. He didn't have much, only about $6 but that didn't stop him from finding the perfect toy.

Yep, that's a baby pool.

I tried to tell Caleb that this pool was very tiny and he might not even fit in it, much less be able to swim in it.

Leave it to my almost 8 year old to cram himself into a pool made for a baby.

I usually caption the photos that I post. However, I don't think these next photos need any captions. Just boys having a great time.

I love this photo of Benjamin. He has this tough look on his face and the fake tattoo on his arm just really adds to his toughness.

Summer Bucket List

noreply@blogger.com (Cassie) — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 01:40:00 +0000

Some of you might remember last summer when I did "Cool Summer Days" with the boys. It involved this really cute calendar.

Basically I put a small piece of paper inside each ice cream cone. The boys would pull out the paper to discover what the activity was for that day. Super cute idea. The boys loved it. However, it was a lot of work for me. The task of having a DAILY activity all summer long quickly became a stressful chore for this momma.

I decided to do something a little more relaxed and low key this summer.

Presenting....Our Summer Bucket List Poster

It's a simple white poster board that I decorated with images from PicMonkey.

The bucket hanging next to the poster has slips of paper with different activities written on them. Some of the activities are ones the boys came up with on their own, and some I added. As we do an activity, we write it on our poster board.

Even though I didn't want to have the stress of thinking of an activity to do every single day, I did want there to be an element of surprise on some days. So I made this.

A small banner of buckets with pockets so I can slip a paper in the bucket.

I've decided to just pick a couple of days a week to have a planned activity so the boys still get the thrill of pulling out a slip of paper that reveals the fun for that day. I'll likely use these buckets for planned outings.

I'll also let the boys randomly choose an activity from the bucket from time to time. These activities will most likely be crafts or activities at home.

As you can see from our Summer Bucket List poster, we have already done a handful of activities. Last week I took the boys to the park for some playtime and a picnic lunch.

Yes they are dressed exactly the same. And yes they both have a mohawk hairdo. No, it was not my idea to make them look like twins. Whenever Benjamin picks out his clothes for the next day, Caleb then chooses a shirt the exact same color (or in this case, the exact same shirt). Benjamin usually bases his hairstyle on whatever Bubba chooses. So that is why they look like twins.

After some playground fun, Caleb wanted to hit up the basketball court.

Like a good little brother, Benjamin would get the runaway balls for Bubba.

Our summer is in full swing!

Benjamin versus the sprinkler

noreply@blogger.com (Cassie) — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 23:54:00 +0000

"I will dominate you sprinkler. You are no match for me!"

"See how I prance around you. You can't get me!"

"I will now attempt to jump over you completely."

"Aaarggg, you squirted me in the eye!"

"You must pay!"

"I shall simply squash you with my foot. You silly sprinkler"

Phone Photo Dump

noreply@blogger.com (Cassie) — Sat, 15 Jun 2013 02:06:00 +0000

Since joining the world of modern technology last December (when I finally got a smart phone), I have taken a lot of photos on my phone. I rarely think to post photos from my phone on here but I need to because there are a lot of cute photos that never make it to the blog. So here is a completely random assortment of photos from the last few months.

Sometimes Caleb likes to practice wheelies, and I mean REAL wheelies...without the wheelie bar to catch him. It requires a ridiculous amount of balance in order to maintain a wheelie position without falling back. We stay safe with a helmet on and couch cushions all around.

Daddy decided to run outside in the rain holding Caleb.

On day Benjamin woke up from his nap, walked over to the couch, and fell right back to sleep. So weird.

The boys on the shaky bridge at the playground. Benjamin was jumping and Caleb was holding on for dear life.

Enjoying a lunch at the park.

Caleb recently got new AFO's and a pair of KAFO's.

This is what the new AFO's did to Caleb's poor ankles the first day he wore them. I felt terrible about it. Obviously, we had to get the AFO's fixed.

Glenn and I in a photo together! That almost never happens.

We were all dressed up for a wedding.

Benjamin still gets out his Halloween costume from time to time.

Benjamin's ensemble of choice one day. Superman socks with mismatched shoes.

My two spikey-haired boys.

Caleb enjoying some pool time at friends house recently.

Benjamin enjoying the water.

Lounging in the sun.

Caleb put tape all over his face. I don't know why.

Caleb wanted to camouflage himself to look like our fence.

And that concludes this session of "phone photo dump".

School Ends, Summer Begins

noreply@blogger.com (Cassie) — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 02:47:00 +0000

School is officially out for both boys. Benjamin has been out for about 3 weeks and Caleb finished first grade last week.

I think Benjamin looks a bit more mature now compared to the beginning of the year.

Caleb looks the same, maybe a bit thinner in the face.

This was a bittersweet day for me. Not only was this Caleb's last day of first grade, it was also his last day in public school (in case you didn't know, I'm homeschooling next year). Caleb has been at this school since he was 3 years old. I am confident in my decision to homeschool but there is still some sadness as we close this chapter in our lives.

Caleb's very first day of school, only 3 years old.

So stinkin' cute.

I know that most of you that read this blog because of Caleb. The vast majority of my readers are fellow SB parents and I know that many of you love Caleb and feel like you know him. And you know that it hasn't been an easy year for him at all. He is dealing with some things right now, some significant anxiety issues. Significant enough that it is impacting daily life. I would appreciate prayer for him and prayer for us as we try and figure out the best way to help him.

Adaptive Sports Extravaganza!

noreply@blogger.com (Cassie) — Tue, 04 Jun 2013 01:05:00 +0000

I've said it before, and I'll say it again. We are so blessed to live in an area that offers a variety of adaptive sporting events. There are so many opportunities that we can't even begin to do them all but we try to hit up as many as we can. Every year we take the boys to a local event that offers a variety of adaptive sports including cycling, water skiing, tennis, archery, etc. That event was this past weekend.

Caleb trying disc golf. He actually enjoyed this quite a bit. We learned that there are quite a few disc golf courses in our area (who knew?).

Benjamin enjoying a little disc golf too!

Now this is just cool. I have never seen anything like it. The entire side of the truck comes out!

Seriously, how cool is that! We so need one of these. I was too scared to ask how much something like this would cost. I imagine it is ridiculous.

He enjoyed sitting behind the wheel. I told him not to honk the horn...what do you think he then did about 15 times in a row? Yep, honked the horn.

While Caleb was trying a little wheelchair tennis, I took Benjamin out to the playground.

Throwing sticks into the lake.

Sticks were flying everywhere.

Yep, that's a pink BB gun. He's actually a pretty good shot.

"Tech Tickets" (our anti-couch potato system)

noreply@blogger.com (Cassie) — Tue, 28 May 2013 18:10:00 +0000

Caleb can be quite the couch potato. That boy will fester in front of the television for hours and hours if you let him and he can get a bit testy when it is time to turn it off and actually do something. Benjamin doesn't ask to watch television nearly as much as Caleb, but he does like the Ipod. That boy can play "Angry Birds" until the Ipod battery dies. With summer right around the corner, I knew I needed to have a "system" (that's right, another system) in place to tackle this issue. I searched around for ideas on keeping media time in check and I found this cute idea for "Technology Tickets". I liked the idea of the boys having a set number of "tech tickets" so I created my own.

(I made these using PicMonkey, super easy folks)

Each "Tech Ticket" is worth 30 minutes of technology time: television, Ipod, computer, Wii, etc. For now the boys will get 3 tickets at the beginning of each day. They turn in one ticket for every 30 minutes of media they choose to enjoy. They have the opportunity to earn extra tickets if they get a "Yay!" stick that offers that reward. They can also lose a ticket if they pull an "Oy!" stick that has that consequence.

I bought these cheap ($1) wooden boxes at Michael's. I painted them red.

I wanted a place for the boys to turn in their tickets and I remembered seeing how people use shadow boxes to keep movie or concert stubs. I found this shadow box on sale and it has a small slit already cut at the top, the perfect size for the boys to slide in their tickets.

I jazzed up the background with some scrapbook paper and shiny stickers.

Summer doesn't officially start for a couple more weeks but I decided to start our new "Tech Ticket" system this past weekend since it was a long weekend. I figured we could give it a trial run and see how it worked. As expected Caleb blew through his tech tickets by noon each day and then complained the rest of the day because he couldn't watch anymore television. Benjamin usually had one or 2 tickets left at the end of the day. When that happens, I'll let the boys carry their tickets over to the next day...I doubt this will ever happen with Caleb.

There are exceptions when the boys won't be required to turn in a ticket for media time. Freebies will include a family movie night or any program that we watch together as a family.

We've only been at this for a few days but it really is working well. I think it helps Caleb to see exactly how many tickets he has and eventually he will learn (maybe) to spread them out over the day so he doesn't run out by lunch time! I created this system as much for myself as I did for the boys. This holds me accountable as well. I'm certainly guilty of feeding Caleb's Netflix addiction. These tickets will help me keep track of their couch potato time and I can always reward them with an extra "Tech Ticket" for good behavior....or for when I just need 30 minutes of peace! :)

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.