Using Fall Leaves

Don't throw those leaves away! Seriously. Did you know that you can mulch your leaves (I mow them up with my lawn mower), dump them on my garden, cover with a little grass clippings/soil/manure/compost and then sprinkle with nitrogen to begin the process of decomposing. This way your leaves aren't going to waste. The nutrients just go back into the garden and you are ready to plant in the spring. Happy Fall!

Happy Halloween

Better late than never....Jacob the Diamond Minecraft guy, Nathan the Superman, Noelle as Professor Sprout (Hogwarts) carrying a "Mandrake", Me as Princess Leia. Never did get one of my handsome pirate husband. Halloween miss there!

Justin and I took Nathan trick-or-treating. It is quite an experience to take your 16-year-old son with autism trick-or-treating. He acts like he is 4, maybe 3 and I had to coach him to knock on the door and then say "Trick-or-treat" and "thank you." He did very well and he LOVED getting candy. Not like the good old days when he was 4 and screamed and cried and hated it (and we only lasted 3 houses). No, this time he ran from house to house. I got my exercise just keeping up with him.

My Happy Superman

Nathan tried on his Halloween Costume the other day and was immediately thrilled about the cape that was hanging from the back of his t-shirt. He proceded to "fly" back and forth quite happily.

Making Haunted Houses

Decorating Haunted Houses is so fun! Have you ever made "Haunted Houses" with graham crackers and burnt sugar? It is edible fun! Happy Halloween!

Taping Homework

No, I didn't sprain my ankle. Jordan has a Sports Medicine class right now, and I am helping him do his homework:). He had to practice taping an ankle.

The first time he practiced at home, he did Jacob's ankle (and he got a little tape on his hairy legs). Needless to say, there was some howling going on in the living room as Jordan took the tape off:). He did much better taping my ankle. Practice makes perfect.

My New Pumpkin Cleaner-Outer

Confession: I got a new "tool" that helped us clean out our pumpkins a little faster the other night. It worked really well, and what can I say? I loved using my drill to clean out the pumpkins. Tamara likes her tools--just ask my husband. I brought the toolbox to the marriage--and I love it when I find little gadgets like this beauty!

Carving Some Pumpkins

We had a fun evening yesterday carving pumpkins. When Nathan was little he used to LOVE to get his hands in the pumpkin guts and pull out the seeds and stuff. Now, he has to rinse/wipe his hands after he touched the pumpkin each time. It is funny how even on children with autism, they can change what they prefer over time.

Nathan's favorite thing now is to help punch out the big pieces. So, anytime one of us had a piece to take off of the pumpkin, we would call Nathan over to "help" us. He really did enjoy it. You can see Nathan and I holding "Mike Wazowski" from Monsters Inc. (one of Nathan's favorite shows). We had some scary carvings, happy pumpkins and some Star Wars jack-o-lanterns.

Ever since the carving of the pumpkins, Nathan kept looking at the calendar and saying "Happy Halloween." I'm glad he remembers some good things from Halloween because when he was little he DID NOT LIKE IT. I think it just wasn't fun to him to dress up and be drug through the neighborhood. Now, he goes happily with his bag for candy...yes, I know he is 16, but he is a 4-year-old at heart, so yes, I take him trick-or-treating.