I get to earn my ears!!!!!

I am in a state of shock.  It only took till I was 45 for my dream job to come up as well as being ready to graduate from college.

I got a lead on a job a couple weeks ago and had my final interview yesterday.  I was hired to be a Disney Authorized Travel Planner!  I will be able to book any and all travel but I will have the certification from Disney to work with them.  That is HUGE.  I also will have training to book cruises, Sandals and Beaches resorts as well as any domestic and international travel.  I have helped so many friends book trips and give them tips and have other agents profit from my knowledge.  Now I get to profit from doing what I love to do.  Help people see the world.
What could be better than these memories for anyone?

Drew is thrilled because we will be getting to take trips to Disney.  Scott is thrilled that they can be tax deductions.

I will be working for a great company.  Please think of me for any travel plans you might have.  To Disney or anywhere else.  My new email will be travelnwithtink@gmail.com

next up bridal shower pics.

what a week

This has been the ice cream week.  Leatherby's opened in Elk Grove.  It is an old fashion ice cream parlor.  Tuesday Drew and I were the second customers in the location.  Drew wanted to take Scott back so we went back Saturday night.  Here are picutres of the sundaes we shared this week. Drew and I split the hot fudge banana split on Tuesday and Saturday he had a plain hot fudge sundae.  Scott claimed he only wanted a couple bites of my Black and Tan on Saturday -but for an engineer he sure doesn't understand the meaning of HALF!!!

I am headed to Kansas Tuesday. For some reason i am a bit nervous about this trip.  Not sure why.  Drew and I are heading to see Phil graduate from college, attend a bridal shower for Betsy thrown by Phil's Godmother and my mom's best friend.  I will also get to meet Betsy's parents. I am super excited about all the activites.  We have so much planned. Wed I am going to Lawrence with Phil and having lunch with the Seabury Mom's from when Phil went to school there. Haven't seen one of them in 4 years and the other in 2 years. Thursday we are are going to Lego Discovery Center in Kansas City. We will be eating lunch here.  Friday Betsy and I are taking Drew to the zoo. Friday night we are getting together with several of my dear high school friends at a local hang out from our high school days.  Saturday is graduation.  Hand the tissues.  Sunday is the bridal shower.  Monday I collapse.  Drew and I head home on Wed.

Scott has plans while we are gone to CLEAN DREW'S ROOM.  He is also going to go see a stage of the Tour of California.  I will try and post as I go but it may be a long post when I get back.

Jayne Houdyshell

We got wonderful news this morning.  Scott's aunt is a Broadway actress. Her name is Jayne Houdyshell. Hereis her IMDB. HEre is her IBDB   She has been on so many things you have probably seen her.

She was nominated for her second Tony.  Her first one was in the Play WELL.  She was up for Lead Actress in a Play.  This time she was nominated for Featured Actress in a Musical.  She played Hattie Walker in the revival of Follies.  Here is a clip of her performance.

We are so proud of her.  Watch the Tony's June 10.

double edge sword

Since Drew has not been in school the tourettes has calmed to a manageable level.  He is sleeping in his own bed for the first time in ages.  He seems more relaxed.  I have noticed that some old behaviors are popping up. He gets frustrated more often, no matter how active we are he complains of being bored.

Yesterday as we were doing school work I mentioned that he would have to go to the school that afternoon.  STAR torture (err testing) has started and Drew has to do it just like every other kid.  As the time progressed, he started complaining of a stomach ache. And the tics increased.  I assumed it was theatrics about not wanting to do school work.  I sent him up to get a shower and get ready for OT.  When I went up he was laying on my bed complaining of his stomach.  I went to feel his head and he screamed don't touch me! He said he felt like he was going to throw up.  I went for the thermometer and as I was walking back I heard the unmistakable sounds.  He threw up all over my bed.  UGH.  I got him cleaned up, bed cleaned up and called the school.  About an hour later Drew perked up and felt better when he found out he didn't have to go.

This morning I mentioned he would be going this afternoon and bit later his stomach started hurting.  He has not thrown up this time.  Anxiety is a powerful thing.  When we talk to Drew about attending school next year he is receptive to the idea.  He has no issue going to OT and Speech.  There is something about being in that classroom that has him upset. I will be going to the class with him this afternoon to reassure him.  This is something we need to figure out but not sure how.

Tomorrow: why do psychiatrists not accept insurance - not like I have 12,000 a year just lying around to pay them.  I know the answer but it is a vent.

Yes I know it has been a while.  Yes I know I am not being a good blogger.  Yes you can assume much has been going on in my world.  Too much for me to concentrate on my blog.  But I am back and I hope you missed me.  Drew has been receiving home and hospital for the past couple weeks.  Trying to ease him back into the idea school is safe.  He has been going for OT and language therapy.  His classroom teacher has been coming to the house a couple days a week to work with him on school work. I have noticed the longer he is away from the class the more issues we are having.  He will be going back next year on a trial basis.
I am fortunate that his teacher understand that learning can happen AWAY from the brick and mortar so she has no problem when I pull him for a day to do a tour or activity with our homeschool group.  It is actually the best of both worlds.

We are gearing up for Phil's graduation and wedding. Drew and I leave next Tuesday and will be in Kansas for a 8 days.  Much planned.  Drew is very excited to see everyone.  WE get back the 15th and are having a party for Drew's 10th birthday on the 19th.  Drew has been a real trooper about how everything is so centered on Phil right now.  Phil's birthday, graduation and wedding all in a 2 month period.  We are not doing much for Phil's Bday.  I will just throw some money in his checking account. Easy.

I do have a new Mixbook give away coming up this week. Everyone has weddings going on and needs guest books.  So they are allowing me give one away on my blog.  Look for it in the next few days.

I haven't posted pictures of Drew lately so here are a couple from a family portrait sitting we did a few weeks ago.

feeling vindicated

I am so over public school.  We had Drew in a class for ED (emotional disturbance).  Several years ago when we home schooled he was having lots of emotional issues.  WE found out later it was because of his age and not being able to verbalize what he was feeling so he acted out.  So we made the mistake of trusting public school.  The end of his second grade year all he did was sit in a class, play legos, color pictures and watch movies.  This year there has been more learning if you could call it that. The teachers did the work for him and he just copied what they wrote.  They claimed they talked about it with him and wrote what he said. UMMM no boss will ever do that.

I am now aware there are some kids in that class who have severe issues who should be in a different class.  But I have also found out my gut feeling about Drew is pretty spot on.  He can read and he can read well.  He doesn't like to but he can.  He can also comprehend what he is reading.  He can do math and do it at a 3-4 grade level.  right now I am working with him on learning to write a paragraph.  He did know how to do that before I turned him back over to public school but since it and other things were not used they were not retained so in many areas I am having to go back and reteach.  I have also discovered he can't think for himself.  I asked him to take his spelling words and make up a sentence about them.  He had no clue about how to do it.   So baby steps over the next few months to get him up to where he should be.

I am already seeing improvement in attitude since he is no longer in public school.  His fears have abated and he is sleeping in his room again.  The tourette's is still there but not at the intensity it was when he was subjected to daily bullying and fear.  The admin has chosen to ignore the issue. They say it would happen in a Gen Ed class as well and I have to just accept that is the way things go.  I will not accept it and it is not the way things go.  I don't home school because of religious beliefs I homeschool because California schools are broken and no one wants to fix them.