It’s a bit since I blogged here. I’ve been busy setting things up at our new site.  FD and I talked about it and we finally decided to separate our site from all the reviews we do, and so Rants Reviews is now our new home for connecting with Canadian families on hot products and those giveaways you all know and love!

Don’t worry though, you won’t miss us here. We still plan on blogging here at rantsnrascals.com, sharing our lives, stories about the kids, dealing with disaiblities and Asperger’s, and of course FD is going to still blog about hockey and Fraser Valley news.

We feel this is the right decision to make, and we hope you all continue to read and stop by and share your thoughts both here and at the new site.  You guys have been the best support of us over the past year and we greatly appreciate you.

Google Friend Connect is going to be closing down, so we didn’t add that to the new site.  But if you want, we’d appreciate you following our new site and networks.

http://www.twitter.com/rantsreviews (TWITTER)

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Rants-Reviews/218570561565928 (FACEBOOK)

https://plus.google.com/u/0/b/102648768574960534004/ (GOOGLE PLUS)

Thanks again, and we look forward to sharing more news, ideas, reviews and stuff with you guys.

~ Jodi & Corey

It’s something I hear all the time. “There is no way your son can have Asperger’s. He’s so smiley, affectionate and plays well with others.”  and they are right.  Trace is affectionate, and sometimes does work really well with others, and he does smile more now.  But Trace also has Asperger’s.

Why does everyone need to put special needs or disabilities into categories?

It drives me up the wall!  I mean as humans, none of us are perfect, least of all me.  I love my kids and my husband, and I clean the house (when I feel like it) and I love being a mom.  But that doesn’t always mean I”m a good mom.  I have my days like everyone else where I wanna stick a fork in my eyes, claim insanity, go to that nice padded cell where it’s quiet without the yelling and screaming, laundry, animals to feed, chores to do, bills to pay.

There are days I don’t want to have a child who has special needs.  Days I feel angry that he is suffering with things like not liking the feel of a sweater, or needing his hamburger cut into six equal squares before eating it, or a straw that doesn’t bend.  I mean really – for Pete-sakes, straws need to bend!

Lately, over the past month or so, ever since FD and JJ went to Prince George for Christmas, Trace has been way more affectionate and loving than normal.  And by normal I mean | sometimes he barely ever hugged or kissed or even told me that he loves me.

Now it’s a completely different story…

When I look back on the past couple of years and how much Trace has grown.  I can see the changes – now.  He is not the same kid and nor should he be.  He’s come out of his shell, he plays more, laughs more, talks more.  And as a mom, I’m loving each and every moment with him.

A year ago Trace would never go out and play in the snow.  He hated it.  Hated how it felt on his hands, on his clothes. He hated wearing boots, hats and gloves that didn’t fit right.  But now he’s learned.  All kids can learn, whether they have special abilities or not.

It’s a matter of having patience and teaching them, because they (Aspie) kids are no different than kids without Asperger’s, other than they handle things thrown at them in a different way.  But learning to compensate, learning to accept things can be taught.

I love my son.  I love that after five years of waiting he now comes running up to me to hug me tight.  I love that he wants to kiss me (even if it’s) only on the cheek. I love that he has learned to maintain eye-contact for longer than five seconds, and that when things get hard, when the battles begin.  I love that he’s learned to take deep breaths, calm down, and try his hardest to handle things the best he can, and that he knows no matter what…

I’m here for him and he can do it.  He can be himself no matter what road he is traveling down.

So yeah it drives me bonkers when people look at me or my son and tell me there is no way he has this or that.  He looks so normal.  It makes me want to deck them, take off their colored stigma glasses and throw a mirror in their face and tell them to take a second look.  Not at Trace but at themselves.  Because like I said nobody is NORMAL.

I should know.  I suffer with bipolar depression, and I’m the happiest optimistic pessimist around.  Looking at me you’d never know I suffer from depression.  But that doesn’t mean I don’t.

How do you handle people putting stigma’s on your kids with special abilities?

Okay I was scrolling through Canucks.com because – well I’m a guy and it beats watching sappy crap or horror crap (take your pick) which my wife loves doing during the day when the boys are at school.  I came across this video and nearly fell out of my seat laughing my ass off.

Apparently we are not the only ones who think Boston is one of the dirtiest teams playing in the NHL.  In fact here’s proof we aren’t!

Note: In no way did Jon Stewart do this. In fact it was a fan who put it together (the video) but it’s still really funny and makes you think, eh?

The Mayor of Abbotsford Bruce Banman is ready to stand up for the citizens of Abbotsford, those of us coughing, suffering with more health issues than anyone I know, hardly already able to breathe due to the poor air quality out here, and say ‘NO‘ to the proposal to build new in-region waste to energy plants out here in the Valley and burn garbage.

“They’ve chosen just to do whatever they feel like, and if they want a fight on their hands, they’ve got one.  Tell them to put their glove on because they’re going to need them.”  Banman said – according to the Abbotsford News.

Last summer Metro Vancouver secured the province’s approval for solid waste management, which included incinerating waste.  However, Metro was told to ‘negotiate in good faith‘ with neighboring communities which included us here in the Valley.  And apparently our good Mayor is ticked right off at the fact the FVRD hasn’t even been consulted on the issue, and he isn’t alone in his feelings that Metro are acting like a bunch of bullies.

The fact that Metro hasn’t even consulted with the FVRD has caused both Mayor Ted Adlem of Mission and Mayor Sharon Gaetz of Chilliwack who is also the chair of the FVRD more than their fair share of concerns as Metro pushes for construction to begin by the end of March.

I already can’t breathe here.  It’s awful.  It’s like we live under a blanket of crap with no bubbles of oxygen to help us.  Since moving here from Kelowna, both my children suffer from allergies and more than their fair share of school colds, due to the unbreathable lack of air quality.  And now they want to do more harm out here and cut it back even further?

Abbey residents need to pay attention to this news, follow it and strike while the iron is hot and back up our Mayor who is trying to do right by us.  It’s not about money, who is going to make it, which are private businesses by the way.  It’s about what is right for the people that live here.

I guess this is Vancouver’s way to become one of the greenest cities by 2013.  Who cares what happens to everyone else, just so long as their reputation on having a great city improves.

Well look out Metro.  You aren’t just dealing with a bunch of farmers out here. We once ranked as having the highest murder rate per capa.  We had the Bacon brothers here.  We can drive tractors faster than Ferrari’s, and we don’t just tip cows on weekends for fun.  We also have God on our side.  We have more churches than Metro has Starbucks.  The Valley is bad-ass and you don’t want to mess with us!

The boxing gloves are on, Metro.  Everyone is watching.  Whose gonna throw the first punch?

What do you think about a proposed incineration plant being built here in the Valley to burn garbage?

I knew I would cry.  I knew it, because for the past 9 (yes 9) seasons that is all I ever do when I watch Extreme Home Makeover, Ty and Michael, Paulie, Paige and the gang do their thing.  So when I heard it was ending, I had to watch and not PVR like I usually do.  And tonight we watched and said goodbye to one of the greatest shows ever on television.

An E5 Tornado struck the city of Joplin, MO on a Sunday afternoon.  A quiet Sunday when families were out, playing at the park, and suddenly the wind picked up.  Before everyone knew – devastation struck.

“I couldn’t hold onto my kids. I tried… I tried so hard, but the wind was too strong, ripping them from my arms…”  Crystal shares.  She lost both her 10 year old daughter and her son that day, her home, her strength.

ABC announced as an end to their season they were coming to Joplin to help rebuild a community, and rebuild a community they did.  I couldn’t stop crying as I watched.  Over 12,000 volunteers banded together to build not just one house for one family, but to do the Extreme.  Build seven houses for seven grieving families and put a community back together.

They built houses. They got together and raised money for the victims and families. CBV Pharmacies put together emergency kits for every Joplin resident, for future problems or disastures - God hopes not.  And they built safe and secure storm shelters for the families in case another Tornado ever strikes, plus rebuilt the park that was destroyed, helped the local arts charity by giving them a bus so they can continue to provide art therapy for the children suffering after the Tornado, and a city close by donated money to each graduating senior of Joplin high school to receive a scholarship upon graduation, since they lost their school.

I cannot even imagine the terrifying destruction, fear and horrific aftermath many of these families had to go through. 151 people died that day.  And ABC wanted to make it better, to put into perspective what the show is all about.  Changing the quality of life for everyone involved if they work together.  And they achieved so much more than that.

I will miss you Extreme Home Makeover.  Thank you for helping my family to remember that when things seem bad, they are always worse for someone else. For helping us see that things don’t mean anything, only family is important, and that by even one person, reaching out.  You can make difference!

There’s only one thing left to say… Welcome home Extreme Home Makeover.  Welcome Home.

Sometimes I wish people understood how I felt.  How some days I’m scared shitless because I do not know what I will be doing or how we will be living in the next year.  Whether we will still be here at the co-op, getting subsidy for our rent, which is a true blessing to me, being that I’m raising one child with special needs, on a disability and caregiver to my husband (also on a disability) because of his brain injury.  It’s the difference between living and not living (being homeless).

Right now I’m the chair of the board here at our co-op.  Now I’m also the Treasurer, something to tell you the truth, I know absolutely nothing about really, but I’m learning quickly.

Our former treasurer is moving, even though I wish she wouldn’t.  I don’t want to be treasurer, and chair, and run things here with the other volunteers that give their time and effort (all eight of us.)

Yes you heard correct.  There are 8 of us on the board.  4 that spend our Tuesdays and Thursdays in the office, checking letters, going over work orders, maintenance repairs, trying our best to keep up on every unit in here, despite our inability to always do so.

The other four work full time, and come to the meetings.  All of us doing our part as the board elected by the members.  But out of 93 units in this place, our participation is almost nil.  It’s pathetic and heart-breaking, wrong and bloody disgusting if you ask me.  It’s like pulling teeth to get anyone to come out and help.

It’s like everyone living here has forgotten what living in a co-op is all about.  Community, good neighbors, support of one another, helping each other, pitching in and doing things to make this place (our homes) our (children’s homes) a better place.

Sure our units are not perfect.  We don’t live in mansions.  Sure this is a business, and sometimes tough decisions have to be made, because this is a business, decisions we don’t want to make.  But life is like that, isn’t it?

And when all is said and done.  When come home from a Board of Directors meeting.  I cry.  Yes, I said I cry.  Because it’s not just about me.  It’s not just about business.  It’s about the fact that this is my home, and I’m fighting for my home ~ living in a co-op, and it’s not always easy. You are not always liked.  Sometimes nobody gets it.  Everyone has something to complain about, but nobody wants to step up and do anything to help (mainly the ones) complaining.

And it pisses me off ~ you know?

But I also know that tomorrow is a new day.  I know that I made the best choice, moving in here, for my kids, my husband and myself.  It wasn’t just about the subsidy (break in rent) or that I have a four bedroom townhouse that I absolutely love.  It was about giving my kids a sense of family that goes beyond the immeditate one they know and love.

You see ~ I know almost every individual living in these 93 units surrounding me.  The seniors, the young, the single moms, the families, their children.  I know who they are, even the ones I don’t always get along with.  Their kids have played inside my home, splashed in the pool at our park with my boys, played hockey at the basketball court just as it’s getting dark.  And they know us.

That’s why I chose to live in a co-op.  Because my neighbors are my friends, none really my enemies, even though they probably have some not so nice things to say about me behind my back.  That’s part of living in a co-op, too.  Gossip, back-stabbing, talking about each other, and one very important thing that everyone seems to forget living here.

Love

It’s shown on Thursdays when we gather food one another, or celebrate Valentines Day with a tea.  It’s shown when there is a good (for once) turn out during leaf clean-up, or painting fences.  And it can be seen during our Halloween and Christmas parties, or when someone needs help carrying their groceries from their car to the apartments, or breaking down boxes for the recycle bin.

And that is what I wanted my kids to learn and live.  That even though they might not always get along with everyone, they can still care about each other, look out for each other, learn from the bad and take good wherever they go.

Still, some days I wish I didn’t live here.  Some days I wish things weren’t so hard.  I wish everyone got along.  I wish everyone understood one another. I wish things could be easier ~ for all of us.

Maybe one day they will be.

Brad Marchand will be out for 5 games in a suspension handed down just now (today) from The NHL and Dept. of Player Safety head Brendan Shanahan for a clipping hit against Sami Salo during Saturday’s Boston vs. Vancouver game.  The injury put Salo out with a concussion and believe me when I say – the talk is heating up both on and off the ice.

Boston’s coach whined just like his team, claiming the Canucks are dirty when responding to the hit from Marchand would even get a suspension. The guy makes me want to laugh, stating the Canucks should look in their own back yard. Easy to say coming from one of the dirtiest teams in hockey, against a player whose never gone out (like Salo) with the intent to injury anyone, compared to Marchand who just came off a fine one month ago for a hit.

So what is the difference between a clipping and a legal hip check?  Here let me show you.  The first is a hit from Hamhuis on Lucic which is legal = fair = great hockey and also = no suspension.  The second is Marchand’s hit on Salo which is illegal = dirty = low = not good hockey and also = a 5 game suspension.

See the difference?

If you don’t see it and want to call the Canucks as dirty as Boston you are on glue.  Lucic has the puck and is trying to get around Hamhuis, who is the defender and simply gives him a clean, and more importantly, legal hip check.

Marchand on the other hand doesn’t even have possession of the puck yet and pulls a low bridge on what was going to be a clean hit by Salo right as Marchand touched the puck. The low bridge is as dirty as it gets.

Salo is also a guy who in his years of playing in the NHL (700) games only has 1 charging penalty in his entire career.  Marchand — shit don’t even get me started.  Marchand was given a two-game ban last March for an elbow to the head of Columbus forward R.J. Umberger.  He was also fined $2, 500 last month for slew-footing Pittsburg defenseman Matt Niskanen.

But he’s not dirty – oh no.  In fact Marchand had this to say in regards to the hit on Salo: “If that’s an illegal hit, I’ll take that out of my game.”

Brendan Shanahan clearly explains the difference between clipping and a good check, one that is legal. No one can argue now. Okay well Bostonians can and of course will and the bad media and whining against the Canucks will continue. However I’m sorry – Marchand got off easy. The guy clearly set out with the intent to injure, and has other players in the past and has no regard for anyone but himself.

I have a sad heart today. I heard ABC is canceling one of my all time favorite shows – Extreme Home Makeover Home Edition starring Ty Pennington after nine seasons with the network.  Four specials will air after the season ends this Friday on January 13 with it’s 200th episode.

Extreme Home Makeover has helped countless American families over the past 9 years.  It began in 2003 as a special and after it made it’s final move to Sunday nights, it became a staple in many homes not just in the U.S. but here in Canada. It was part of our family ritual on Sunday’s, to sit and watch Ty and the gang build a home for a needy family in seven days.

So why is ABC canceling the show?

Ratings… that’s why.  They moved the show to Friday’s and it tanked.  Even we as a family could not enjoy the show the way we used to, having to PVR the event because Friday nights are not a good time slot.  We have hockey and other activities going on to start the weekend.  Such bullshit!

I cannot stand it when a network moves a show and says – hey thanks you made us millions of dollars for the past nine years, everyone loves the show, it has a huge following but we are going to move you, knowing full well you won’t do well in the time slot we give you and then cancel your ass no matter who still watches.

Thanks ABC!

Pennington posted in a statement on his Web site thanking the network, fans and those associated with the show for their support for what he called “the greatest job of my life.” “I believe the spirit of what we have done across the country for over 200 families will continue to inspire,” he wrote. It has been an honor to work side by side with the EMHE families, builders, and thousands of volunteers who have proven that good hearts can and do change the world.”

For those of you who think you will miss Ty, you won’t. He’s lined up a new gig with ABC of course on daytime health and lifestyle called The Revolution which is set to premiere this January.

As for ABC – you suck!  Just my opinion because you aren’t just canceling a show whose ratings dropped, you canceled a great show that was helping aid thousands of families and it’s not right and I’m made at you – very very mad at you.

I am going to miss the show.

How about you? Did you ever watch EMHE?

Pardon what did you say? I’m sorry i’d ask you speak louder but my ears are on vacation.

That’s my new phrase nowadays and one that I use – oh at least a thousand times a day.  “Sorry what was that? I didn’t catch that. I didn’t hear what you said.”  In fact, I haven’t heard anything out of my right ear since before Christmas and I’ve tried everything.  I have plugged ears from a sinus infection.

It started when we all got the flu.  I knew right away it was going to turn into something worse for me, it always does.  I either get bronchitis or I get a sinus infection.  I was hoping for the bronchial thing, but no way in hell I was gonna get a Christmas wish like that.  Nope, the gods of sickness decided — sinus infection all the way.

So there I was over the holidays, feeling miserable, practically living in my pajama’s (not that) being sick had anything to do with it. Seems lately I’m always living in my pajama’s. Who needs clothes?  Right?  And I was trying to do everything I could to clear my sinuses and the water – feeling I had in my ear.

I tried hot compresses.

I tried a heating pad.

I tried strong cough candies.

I tried Vicks Vapor rub.

I put my ear over boiling water and hung my head there several times a day.

Nothing was working!

Finally I caved in and went to the medi-clinic here in Abbotsford. I ended up getting antibiotics.  I started taking them and finished taking them, and nope. Still my sinuses are blocked (somehow) even though now I can breath easier.  So back to the doctors I went.

This time the doctor gave me a nasal prescription.  Guess what?  It’s not working!  I’m ready to bust a cap in someone’s you know what. Not that I believe in violence, because I’m a mom – violence is terribly wrong.  But I cannot stand this anymore.

Today I woke up with the worse sinus headache ever!  The pain shot right through the back of my skull, toward the front of my face and into my eyes.  It was truly horrible, and for all those people who suffer from headaches (cause I don’t) on a regular basis.  I am bowing down to you and weeping for you and the pain you go through.  It’s absolutely horrible!

I don’t know what to do.  My doctor now says it could be months and months before I get in to see an ear, nose and throat specialist.  I don’t know if I can go that long without hearing.  I worry that the water he says is behind my ear drum might be causing permanent damage, and if it is. EVERYBODY IS FIRED!

I really do hate this. Not only is it affecting my ears, but I’m so damn tired lately. I feel sick, but most of the symptoms have gone away, except for the hearing thing.  Well — that and I’m friggin blowing my nose every two minutes for parts of the day and then other parts of the day I can breathe just fine.  It makes no sense to me.

I never understood (yes I took for granted) something as simple as being able to hear my kids laugh, cry or talk to me about their day.  I mean I can still kinda hear, but not great.  Mostly everyone is speaking and see their lips moving but NO SOUND.

What do you think? Any suggestions? Have you ever had a really bad sinus infection with plugged ears?

I truly do. It’s almost sickening really, but very true. From the moment I set eyes on Corey, sitting in Starbucks, waiting for him because he was late for our first blind date. I was smitten.

Did I just use that word?  Shit! See what he does to me.  He makes me use words that are oooy-goooey.

My husband is the ipidomy of what a real man is supposed to be like.  And as cheesy as it sounds, like the prince who races up on the white horse to gallontly save the day.  Corey is everything that is charming, good, strong, intelligent, heroic, and caring.  The way any good prince should be.

I feel so blessed. Each day I get to spend with someone who is my best friend. Someone who loves me enough not to fight with me, using nasty words, only to say shit I will infinitely regret later because my mouth when I’m an anger ball is a run on sentance of ugliness that leaves me feeling just horrid afterwards.

He takes care of me and the boys, always helping out.  He does windows and dishes, laundry, takes out the garbage, washes the car, rubs my back and feet, neck, and any other body part that I might suddenly deemed sore at the moment.

He is a breath of fresh air when I’m choking. Always hugging me when I am angry or upset, even when I try to push him away. He laughs at me, as if to say “Whatever women, just shut the hell up and give in to it.” which I always do because it feels so damn good to be in his arms, and release the bullshit.

He listens to me when I talk, about nothing, about everything, shit that he doesn’t even care about but so often and sweetly pretends to, while sneaking a look at the Canucks on television as he waits for them to score a goal.

He makes me want to jump his bones with just a look, and do all sorts of dirty things a mother of sons shouldn’t dare even think of. <<< blushing>>> now – don’t look.  God he’s sexy!

And you know I’ve said before and I’ll say it again.

It doesn’t matter he doesn’t remember.  Because what he does remember to do are all the important things that make our marriage work, make it happy, make it so that we’ve been in love and together for the past eight years.

I am so lucky and so happy with my husband, and for that I’m eternally grateful.

Even if he does look like a small animal attacked his face while he was up in Prince George and came back from suriving Deliverance.

I love you Forgetful Dad!