Traveling Without Kids

Today I am boarding an airplane to Arizona to go to my cousin's funeral, and I am going by myself. The times I have traveled by myself since I had kids can be counted on one hand.  Usually a family trip entails at least a week's worth of planning and writing notes to myself of what I need to be sure to pack so Nathan or Jacob can have as smooth of a trip as possible (since kiddos with autism HATE the change of their schedule).

I can't even tell you how nice it is to not even have to worry about packing kids, changing schedules, and worrying if they will even sleep once we get there. Also, the more children we have had, the more we have traveled as a family in our car.  Airline tickets are so pricey and when you have to rent a minivan when you get there...well, that isn't cheap either.  So, for car trips I feel like I am packing everything but the kitchen sink: snacks, DVDs, entertainment, clothes, toiletries, toys, drinks, alarm clocks, noise makers, pillows, blankets.  Nathan ALWAYS needs his pillow and blanket when we travel--I've got to at least keep that the same because he never sleeps well on trips.  In fact, I usually come home from a family trip SO EXHAUSTED that I can't wait to get everyone back in their own room where they belong.  

So, today have all the stuff I need in a neat little carry-on and I have a book to read on the plane. Who knew traveling solo could be so easy? I just feel like I am forgetting something...maybe it is because I didn't pack the kitchen sink:).

Unpacking Boxes in the Closet

Two weeks ago on Saturday my hubby and I undertook a MAJOR project:  Looking through all those moving boxes in the closets that we haven't unpacked yet.  Yes, I know we have lived in Utah for 2 and 1/2 years and you would think we'd be completely unpacked and organized by now.  Nope.

Most of the boxes were full of scrapbooking stuff or beautiful pictures that the kids drew that I have saved (and I need to scan)...the problem is I have over 18 years worth of it.  Sigh!  That stuff got left in boxes.  I will get to it someday.

We did pull out the picture books that I had put together when Jordan and Nathan were little boys and it was cute to see my babies again (since they are both bigger than I am now).  Funny that the picture books ended when Jacob was born.  Maybe some moms can keep up with picture books and scrapbooking, but I wasn't ever one of those moms.

The other boxes I FINALLY unpacked held all my "craft room" and sewing stuff.  My crafting stuff was in three closets and a dresser that has been in the garage since we moved in.  Any time I needed something crafty (like the glue gun or yarn or sharp scissors) I have been running from room to room trying to find it.  Now it is all in Nathan's closet (he doesn't use his closet much so I have now officially taken it over.)

It took us most of the day.  Justin was done after lunch but I wanted to get all my craft stuff organized so I was organizing until dinner time.  But hey, I can find everything now and it is all in one place! Woot! Woot!  Now I just need to tackle my master bedroom closet...maybe in another 2 and 1/2 years I'll be ready:).

Shaving the "Stache"

Confession:  In the winter time I am not very good at keeping my legs shaved.  I figure I have pants on so my legs don't see the light of day anyway.  Why bother, right?

Well, unfortunately you can't put pants on a face, and Nathan is old enough now to be growing some facial hair.  Lately I have had to learn to shave Nathan's face.  Yikes!  I'm always scared I'm going to cut him.  This kid can grow a pretty good 'stache at 15, and I'm sure he is going to have a full beard before long.  My husband has had to teach me where I can shave with the grain of the hair and against the grain.  Whew!  I never knew shaving facial hair was so crazy!  I also have to make all these facial contortions (that I hope Nathan will copy) when I shave him so I can get all those hard to reach places (like right under the nose and just below the bottom lip).

I know you are wondering why my husband doesn't shave Nathan.  Believe me, he has!  He isn't always available though, so the task often falls to me.

So, today I am thankful that I am not of the male species--I'm glad I don't have facial hair that I have to shave on a daily basis.  At least I can get away with wearing pants in the winter time:).

#shaving #shavingkidswithautism #parentsofkidswithautism

Farewell, Dear Cousin

It is interesting how one phone call can change your day.

I received word yesterday afternoon from my mother that my cousin Christine (age 45) passed away. She collapsed at church Sunday while she was sharing her witness of Jesus Christ to the women of her church congregation.  She had been on life support for a day and they had to revive her several times.  We have been praying for her as a family, hoping that she could stay with us on earth a little longer.  It must have been her time to go, because she was very healthy.

It is hard to say, "Thy will be done" to God when the situation is so personal.  Ultimately I have to trust that His wisdom is greater than mine.

Christine was an energetic woman of faith that I have looked up to and admired since I was a child. Christine was my oldest female cousin on my dad's side of the family.  She was positive, outgoing, and happy and she served and loved others her entire life.  She married young and raised 4 beautiful children with her husband.  She became a grandmother to her first grandchild this past year. Her youngest son is scheduled to leave on a two-year mission for our church next month to Brazil.

It is at times like these that I have to step back and really think about the things that are the most important: Faith and family.  I don't believe that God gave us these wonderful loving families only until death do us part.  I believe that these family relationships carry on past the grave.

Until we meet again, my dear cousin, Christine!  You will be missed!

#untilwemeetagain #death #faith

Escape of the Ring

Yesterday at church Nathan finished his sticker puzzles a little early, so my husband (who was sitting next to him) was entertaining him as best as he could.  In a brilliant flash of inspiration (or so he thought), Justin gave Nathan his wedding ring to play with and try on.

Nathan got the ring on his finger and then tried to get it off, but it was stuck.  After trying to help him get the ring off for a minute, Justin gets my attention at the other end of the pew and asks if I have any lotion.  What?  He showed me the problem.  By this point Nathan was getting quite upset that the ring wouldn't come off his finger and was starting to say "Help" every 10 seconds quite loudly.  I didn't have any lotion, so he took Nathan by the hand and pulled him out of the meeting as quietly as he possibly could.  Mind you we were on the second pew from the front, so anything we do is quite obvious.  Nathan continued to say "Help" every few seconds as Justin took him out while the rest of us sat there giggling at the hilarity of the situation.  I'm sure the person speaking at the time didn't find it very funny:).

Anyway, about 5 min later Nathan came skipping down the aisle back to our pew, happy as a lark.  Justin had been able to get the ring off Nathan's hand in the bathroom with some soap.  Crisis averted!  Nathan kept grabbing Justin's hand after that to gaze at the offending ring, probably wondering why in the world Justin would ever put a ring on his finger.  Memo to self--Never let Nathan try your ring on again.

#funnyautismstory #escapeofthering #parentingkidswithautism

Thankful for Dirty Dishes?

Dear God,
Today I am thankful for dirty dishes.  I know, I know, you are wondering what amazing transformation happened to me.  Dirty dishes are usually one of my least favorite things to do.  But, I was thinking this morning that instead of dreading the dirty dishes I should find something positive about them.  So, here it is: I am thankful for dirty dishes, because it means that my family had something to eat this morning.  That is something to be grateful for.

I am thankful that I have food to eat when there are many people all over the world that don't have enough to feed their family.  There are families out there where the parents go hungry so the kids can have some food, because that is what parents do.  So, yes!  Today I am thankful that I have dirty dishes to wash and a table to wipe off and a pantry with food in it.  Isn't it amazing what a simple change in attitude will do?

Your grateful daughter,
Tamara

#dirtydishes #gratitude #thankfulforfood

My "Lived In" Home

If you came in my home, you would see the dining room on the right.  But, you will not see a beautiful dining room table with a centerpiece all beautiful and decorated perfectly.  You will see "Nathan's table."  It usually looks something like this:

It usually has a couple of puzzles on it, some word dice, a book of word puzzles, a CD or two that has a book to go with it, a squishy stress ball and any other thing that he might find interesting.  (Like the Disneyland bag that he LOVES that is front and center.)  Nathan (age 15 with autism) knows he can spread out his things all over this table and has been doing it for years.

In other words, your first impression of our home would be that it looks lived in.  Obviously I'm okay with that or I wouldn't be showing it to you:).  Sometimes I think we average folk look at these fancy home decorating magazines and think that our homes have to look like that every day, all day long. I think having kids smothered the perfectionist in me, and I have come to realize that my house isn't going to look magazine perfect today, tomorrow or maybe until we have to move again someday (and I HATE having to keep my home nice enough to show.)  

I'd rather have a card game by the kitchen table on the floor showing that is what we played last night after dinner.  I'd rather have my living room strewn with books and magazines because it shows my kids were reading.  And my living room pillows never seem to stay on the couch the way they are supposed to.  Oh well. 

Don't get me wrong by thinking we never clean.  We do.  My kid's least favorite word is chores (and probably homework).  So, if you have ever worried that your house isn't picture perfect, just remember the picture from my house and cut yourself some slack.  There will be days for perfect houses someday, but for today choose be happy with "lived in."

#livedinhome #normalformemom #autism #livingwithkids