Bitty and Beau’s Coffee is an amazing nationwide coffee shop chain that is much more than a coffee shop. In fact, Amy Wright, one of Bitty and Beau’s owners, received CNN’s Hero of the Year a few years ago for the great work she is doing through this organization.

From their website:

The original Beau’s Coffee opened January 2016 in a 500 square foot space in Wilmington, NC. The original shop was run by 19 employees with intellectual and developmental disabilities. With over 80% of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities unemployed nationwide, Beau’s Coffee created a path for people with disabilities to become more valued, accepted and included in every community. 

Pretty cool, don’t you think!?

As the father of a ten-year-old with Down syndrome, I am encouraged to learn about companies that hire people with different abilities. You see, a job is much more than a paycheck. A job gives people an opportunity to add value and feel the dignity of making a meaningful contribution to an organization. I’m thankful for how Bitty and Beau’s Coffee is helping to give people like my son opportunities to be a job and experience the value and dignity that comes with it.

Bitty and Beau’s Is Coming to Waco, TX

My wife graduated from Baylor University, I have family in the Waco area, and we are a short drive from Waco, so I was SUPER excited when I found out Bitty and Beau’s was going to be opening up a franchise location in Waco!

Earlier this year I had a chance to have lunch with the owner of this location (who is a SUPER great guy) and this summer our family had an opportunity to meet with him in Waco at the new location and get a tour (which as you can see below, was still under construction.)

The new location is fantastic. It’s in Downtown Waco minutes away from Baylor University and walking distance from the Magnolia Silos. They recently had a hiring fair and plan on opening soon!

I can’t wait to come back when it opens, and I can’t wait to see how this Bitty and Beau’s location impacts the city of Waco and beyond! (We’re already talking about possibly doing a Hope Story event there, so if you’re within driving distance, stay tuned!)

Have you been to a Bitty and Beau location? If so, what did you think? Leave a comment below and tell me about your experience.

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Ever since we took Noah to his very first dance party many years ago, this kid has LOVED a dance floor. He loves music. He loves dancing. He loves being around people. It’s one of my favorite characteristics about him. Down syndrome doesn’t hold this kid back at all! Now he’s in the fifth grade, and he still loves a good dance party.

If you ever have a wedding and need a hypeman, Noah is your guy. Just look at him jumping in at a recent wedding we were at and doing the Cupid Shuffle (along with my wife right next to him.) I love these two so much!

I’m thankful for how people just bring Noah into the fold like he is an old friend when we are out and about. It warms my heart. All of our kids are so much fun, I just love going to weddings (or really anywhere) with them. They clean up pretty nice, too.

Do your kids like to dance? Let me know in the comments!

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One of the first things our OB/GYN told us after we received our son’s Down syndrome diagnosis was “I’m sorry” (followed by something even more unbelievable.)

We didn’t want to hear “I’m sorry,” instead we wanted to hear the word that these four moms say at the end of this short video that Hope Story produced.

If you’re looking for some other things to say to a new parent of a child with Down syndrome, here are some ideas.

If you’re the parent of a child with Down syndrome what is one thing you wanted to hear after receiving your child’s diagnosis? Leave a comment and let us know!

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Before the pandemic, my wife and I were both members at Orange Theory Fitness (and loved it.) However, around the start of the COVID pandemic last year we canceled our OTF membership and purchased a Peloton exercise bike (and later one of their treadmills.) I had always thought the Peloton bikes were too expensive, but we actually ended up saving money compared to what we were paying for our other fitness memberships.

One of the great benefits of the Peloton bike is you only have to pay one monthly fee and everyone in your home can have their own account. Shortly after having our exercise bike delivered we set Noah up with his own Peloton account and let him ride the bike. As you can see in the video below he really likes it!

Although Noah loves playing sports, it can be difficult for him to get exercise on a regular basis. We know that keeping Noah healthy is important and we want to help him make healthy choices as he grows up. The Peloton bike (or really any exercise bike) can help someone with Down syndrome, like Noah, stay healthy by making it convenient to exercise daily.

Our Peloton bike and treadmill is in my home office so I can watch Noah on the bike while I get work done. The variety of content is great also; Peloton is constantly adding new content that keeps things fresh (Noah especially likes the Disney-themed ride!) Also, even if your child hasn’t learned to ride a bike (yet) they can easily learn to ride a stationary bike like the Peloton. On top of that; the price of the bike and the monthly subscription fee is well under 100 dollars a month. While that’s not a small expensive, it isn’t bad if you can consider everyone in your house can have their own account and use the Peloton bike and app to stay healthy (in many cases it comes out cheaper than a household gym membership.)

To be honest, we haven’t been consistent about Noah getting on the exercise bike, but I want to be. It’s super easy for him to ride, he enjoys it, and it’s an easy way for him to get exercise and stay healthy.

What sort of activities does your child with Down syndrome / special needs do to stay healthy.

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As the parent of a child with Down syndrome, I have wondered if people with Down syndrome can get pregnant and have a child. Over the years I have seen various posts about parents who have Down syndrome, but I had never been able to verify if those posts were true, or not.

That all changed a few years ago when our non-profit, Hope Story, was exhibiting at the National Down Syndrome Congress Conference in Dallas, TX. While I was at our booth I actually met (in person) a mom who has Down syndrome and her son (as well as the adult with Down syndrome’s mother!) I was so excited to meet this family!

The mom with Down syndrome seemed like a loving mom who loved her son (like most mothers, and the family all lives with the grandmother.) They were such a joy to meet and I was glad I had the opportunity to meet this family and to be able to say, with certainty, that women with Down syndrome can get pregnant and have children!

Practically, I am sure there are unique challenges to this family dynamic, but I am glad that people with Down syndrome have the opportunity to experience life milestones such as parenthood, getting their driver’s license, and finding meaningful work.

Did you people with Down syndrome could have children? What do you think about this amazing family!? Leave a comment below and let me know.

can a woman with down syndrome get pregnant / can someone with down syndrome have a child

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After 18 plus months off due to COVID-19, Noah started his fourth season playing soccer with the Frisco Miracle League today! (And I started my third year as the coach of his soccer team.) I am thankful for organizations like the Miracle League (and the Special Olympics) for creating environments that kids with Down syndrome (and other different abilities) can have fun in.

Noah loves playing sports (he plays baseball, basketball, football and soccer) and we love how laid back the Miracle League games are. So it’s a win win. I was so happy that after not having a season last year, he was able to get back out there today and have fun! For those of you interested in possibly having your child play on a Miracle League team, I thought I’d share what a typical soccer game looks like.

The soccer game consists of four ten minutes periods, with a small break in between each period. Then at the end of the game each child gets a chance to come up one by one and do a goal shoot out. If you have *typical* kids that play competitive soccer then you know how intense that can be. The miracle League soccer games (thankfully) aren’t like that. Parents and kids are there to cheer their kids (and the other kids) on. People have a good time. No one is worried about score. There’s no pressure to preform. It’s great.

Each child is assigned a Miracle League Buddy. A buddy basically partners up with a child and assists them as needed and gives their “buddy” encouragement throughout the game. Since we are in “COVID-19 times” everyone in the building is required to wear face coverings. There are two teams playing and each team goes to the middle of the soccer field. The coach or referee puts the ball down and lets one child from “team A” kick the ball toward their goal and the play basically continues until the ball goes into the goal. Then all of the kids come back to the middle and a child from “team B” kicks the ball to their goal and they play basically goes on until the ball goes into a goal. The coach makes sure all the kids get the opportunity to kick the ball several times throughout the game.

As I mentioned, at the end of the game each child gets the opportunity to kick the ball and score and goal. This is a really special time as the parents cheer and applaud the kids as they make their goals. Check out the video below to see Noah get his goal at the end of the soccer game today. He nailed it!

When Noah first started playing for the miracle league I was so happy and encouraged just seeing him run around and play without other parents feeling “sorry” for him / us as might happen if Noah played for a *typical* soccer team. I cheered as he played. I cheered other kids when they made a goal. It was, and is, a lot of fun. The games, and the entire experience, is really special.

A few years back I started coaching the soccer team, and continue coaching to this day. I love getting to hang out with Noah, and I really enjoy all of the families I get to meet. It’s a lot of fun. (Side note – I would NEVER coach a *typical* soccer team. One of our other sons plays academy soccer and I know what those parents and games are like. No, thanks!)

If you the parent of a child with Down syndorme (or other *disability) and are interested in getting your son or daughter involved in youth sports, I HIGHLY suggest checking out the Miracle League. I can’t say enough good things about their programs, parents, coaches, and staff. It has been a great experience all the way around. I look forward to seeing Noah, and his friends crush it this season!

Does you child with different abilities play on a sport team? Leave a comment and tell me about their experience!

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This summer, on the way to visit my wife’s parents in Colorado, we had the chance to stop in Wichita Falls and visit an arcade and cereal bar I had heard about; TAG’s Maniac’s Mansion. And it. was. amazing!

If you’re wondering what an arcade and cereal bar is, it’s exactly what is sounds like; a place where you can play videos games and also have a bowl of rare and fun breakfast cereals from their “cereal bar!” I’ve never seen anything like Maniac’s Mansion. Keep reading to find learn more!

Here’s a little video tour of “The Mansion!”

The cereal bar has all sorts of amazing cereals and you can also add toppings to any cereal you order. Just look at this selection!

I had a bowl of the Sugar Cookie Cinnamon Toast Crunch with whipped cream and sprinkles (and yes, it was as great as it sounds!)

Jaxten had a bowl of Dippin’ Dots cereal with whipped cream.

All of the video games at Maniac’s Mansion are set on free play. You pay one (very small) fee to enter and then you can play all of the games you want, for as long as you want (or until they close, whichever comes first.) They even have a combo package that includes the unlimited free play plus a bowl of cereal. That’s amazing!

Check out this selection of video games!

Not only do they have arcade style games, but they also have consoles games and a ton of toys and other fun “stuff” to look it. So on top of being an arcade and cereal bar, it’s basically a pop-culture toy museum as well!

As amazing as the video games, cereal bar, and toys are; what makes this place REALLY special is the owner; Marcus. This guy is amazing. He is welcoming, fun, kind, and I also found out he dj’d at the Down syndrome Buddy walk in the area! I was blown away by how kind he was to entire family, including Noah! He also hosted our family while we visited which was extremely generous.

I’m a fan of vintage movie posters and I noticed on social media that Marcus was too, so I bought him a Back to the Future 2 poster that I had as a gift. If go visit, you’ll see it hanging on the wall.

We had a blast hanging out at Maniac’s Mansion and especially hanging out with Marcus. If you are ever near Wichita Falls, TX I HIGHLY encourage you to check out out!

Do your kids like going to arcades (or playing console video games?) What are some of their favorite games? Leave a comment below and let me know!

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Years ago I introduced our blog readers to Jake, our beautiful goldendoodle, and have even posted a video of Noah training him in the past. We loved Jake, but sadly at the end of last year, on Noah’s 10th birthday, and just days before Christmas, we had to put our beloved Jake to sleep. We believe he had a brain tumor which caused a lot of suffering for him. As much as we miss him, I’m thankful he isn’t suffering any more. Here are a few pictures just moments before we took him to the vet to be put to sleep.

This was a tough day for our family, and we still miss our sweet dog Jake.

Santa Brings a New Doggy!

Since Jake had to be put to sleep so close to Christmas, “Santa” wanted to surprise our boys with a dog for Christmas, but doodle type dogs are hard to find on short notice, especially around Christmas time. However, “Santa” came across the wonderful people at Barksdale Labradoodle and they were about to get “Santa” on the list for a liter of labradoodle puppies that were going to be born later in the month and that we could pick up sometime at the end of February.

Thankfully the new puppies were born before Christmas and “Santa” was able to leave the boys this letter and picture on Christmas.

Here’s a video of the boys opening up their letter from Santa on Christmas Day!

Time to Pick Up Our New Mini Labradoodle

After months of patiently waiting the day finally arrived where it was time to head to Mississippi (where Barksdale Labradoodles is located) and pick up our new mini-labradoodle, Ollie. It turns out the day we were set to leave Texas (where we live) we were at the tail end of one of the worst snow/ice storms in the history of our area. We ended up getting stuck in Louisiana on the way to pick up our dog (which is an entirely different blog post on its own) but thankfully we were able to make it there and back safely.

After a multiple day journey we finally arrived at Barksdale Labradoodles and met our sweet puppy in person for the first time! Let’s just say it was puppy love at first site! Here’s a picture of our family with our sweet doggy just minutes after we met him.

Here are some pictures of us with Ollie, our Australian mini labradoodle the day we got him. Isn’t he a cute puppy?

Jake (our godlendoodle) was a full sized doodle (60-70 pounds) and we wanted to stick with a dog on the larger size so “Santa” got us on the list for a medium sized labradoodle. However after the litter was born it turned out we were only able to get a mini-labradoodle (which would likely only grow to no more than 30 pounds.) At first I was disappointed, but I didn’t want us to have to go on a waiting list and the thought of having a smaller dog sort of grew on me.

Ollie is Growing Up

Ollie has become a loved member of our family. Here are some pictures of him a *bit* bigger than in the puppy pictures above. We think this will be about the size we will get. He is such a sweet dog. One reason we went with a Barksdale Labradoodle is because they help match your home with a dog who has a temperament that fits your family, and honestly Ollie is a perfect fit for our family.

Here’s a video of Ollie playing around this summer in Crested Butte Colorado. He loved the water!

He miss Jake, but we do love Ollie and are so thankful he’s a part of our family. We are glad we get to make memories with him!

Does your family have any pets? Leave a comment and let us know. Bonus points for sharing a picture!

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Noah is probably the only person I know that doesn’t like candy. When we stop at gas stations on road trips he almost always grabs a bag of chips, and doesn’t even step foot on the candy aisle. However, even though he doesn’t like candy, he does like all things carbs! (Pizza, donuts, cupcakes, etc.)

This summer we made a trip out to the Sprinkles Cupcake ATM located at Legacy West in Plano, TX. If you’re wondering what a cupcake ATM is, it’s exactly what is sounds it. a machine that spits out a cupcake instead of cash! It’s amazing.

As you can see in the video below you simply walk up to the Cupcake ATM Machine, scroll through a list of cupcakes on the screen, pick one, swipe your credit card, and then seconds let a fresh, tasty Sprinkles Cupcakes comes out the door for you to enjoy (and Noah did enjoy this cupcake!)

When you think about it, it’s pretty amazing that we live in a day and time that 24 hours a day you can walk up to this machine and get an amazing cupcake. What a time to be alive! LOL.

I also find it interesting that Noah doesn’t like candy. He won’t eat a chocolate bar, gummy candies, or even saltwater taffy, but he will eat cupcakes all day if we let him (which we don’t.) I’m not sure if other kids with Down syndrome also prefer carbs to candy, or if it’s just our son, but it’s just an interesting fact about him. On a sidetone, I like both.

What about your child; do they prefer carb treats (cakes / donuts,) candy, booth or none of the above? Leave a comment below and let me know.

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I love seeing people with Down syndrome (and Autism) doing awesome things. As a technology nerd myself I especially enjoy people using the internet to do awesome things. Today I want to introduce you to Kitty. Kitty (Katherine) is 13 years old, likes to cook, had a dual diagnosis of Autism and Down syndrome, and has her very own cooking YouTube Channel: Cooking with Kitty.

On her YouTube channel Kitty, and her dad, teaches people how to make a banana bread, BBQ Chicken Nachos, and even a flourless chocolate cake!

Per her YouTube channel Kitty is using the skills she has learned through her occupational therapy (OT) and is using them cook and teach others also. I think that is pretty cool! I also thing the entire YouTube channel fun, creative and encouraging to others. I’m a fan!

Since I’m also fan of taco’s I thought I’d share one of her cooking videos below where
Chef Kitty makes Al Pastor Chicken Tacos!

Check out the Cooking with Kitty YouTube Channel and follow along on her cooking adventures! You can also visit her website as well!

What do you think about the Cooking with Kitty YouTube Channel? Leave a comment below and let me know.

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