Ever Wanted To Look Like a TROLL Doll?

We have laughed and laughed over this silly iphone application.  It's called "CamWow" and it morph's the subject into something ridiculous!  Here are some of our favorites...

In her quest to become "Super Barbie"...

Abby came home last week from first grade and said, "Kameron wants to be a police man when he grows up, I want to be Super Barbie."  My thinking is that she must have read "The Secret" because the universe answered back and she is well on her way...  Aunt Kathy sent a much loved birthday package....  Inside could have been classified as a "Super Barbie" uniform. 

Every Super Barbie needs a sparkly-pink "twirly" skirt. 

Abby Pulled Through!!!

Today I had a lull (so what if it was the 2 minutes I spent in the bathroom!  SERIOUSLY, that's all I had today.) I thought to myself, "What am I going to write about this week?"  I couldn't think of anything.  I thought I might just have to put a picture of Abby on and say, "That's all folks!"  

Abby has had a loose tooth for about ten days now.  When I picked her up from school the tooth was WAY loose.  In fact, she was talking extra "lispy" because of the tooth.  I dropped her off at the babysitters and went back to work.  I had to work a couple hours extra tonight, so I didn't get home until after 8pm.

LOW AND BEHOLD, when I got home, the tooth was gone!  She said she was going to get a cricket outside and it (the tooth) was just gone (I didn't even know she knew what a cricket was!)  Well, she has put the tooth under her pillow.  She is worried that the tooth fairy won't come because she hasn't come to any of her friends (according to Mike)...  I asked him if any of her friends had lost teeth and he didn't know...

I feel like I need a drum roll, right about now!  Now here she is, TADA!!!

Labor Day and Labels

Monday morning we went to brunch at the Original Pancake House, it was a real treat!  I can't seem to get enough pancakes.  Yes, besides being a "shopping addict", I'm also a "carb addict".  I don't mind one more label for me, however....  I'll get back to that in a minute...

We then went to Thanksgiving Point to show Abby the dinosaur exhibit.  She had a blast running around.  There was SO much to see that she seemed a little A.D.D. 

Sorry the pictures aren't very clear, I forgot my camera so I had to use my phone...

Speaking of labels, we received papers from the school to verify all the contact information.  They have labeled Abby as "Resource/Special Ed."  I'm not liking that label for her.  I don't see how she can be labeled that, IF she is fully mainstreamed and is doing grade-level work, well.  So I went to the office.  They explained that she is labeled that becasue she still has an IEP and is pulled out periodically to work on her IEP goals.  I'm not sure why it irritates me so much, but it does.

I'm Bigger!

That was Abby's sentiment on Friday morning when she woke up.  Being six is no small thing.  (Actually with all the attitude she dishes out some days, it really IS a miracle!  I kid, I kid....)  Yes, Friday was Abby's birthday.  She has been counting down the days for quite a while.  I was hoping she wouldn't be disappointed because we didn't have a huge party.  

As you can see from the pictures we took of the "small gathering" she had a great time.  Last night exceeded what I was hoping for her.

This is my favorite picture of the evening.  I think it shows pure happiness... and a great cake! (Yet, I'm not sure why all my favorite pictures seem to have a focusing problem!)  Thank you for the candle, Kathy.

Abby was able to invite one friend over, she chose Breeanne (I'm surprised Alex didn't make the cut!)  We are friends with the parents so they also hung-out.

 

I had to throw this picture in, just because it makes me laugh.  She looks a little not-right-in-the-head, I think it's birthday hysteria.  The necklace was a gift from my mom.

Life is grand, isn't it???

Yum, it's pumpkin time!

I am NOT a morning person.  I have been habitually late this summer to work, yet Friday I learned why it may be nice to be on-time.  I raced Abby to school, we barely made it, but we did.  After I dropped her off, I looked at my clock and I still had 10 minutes to get to work.  Since I only work 3 minutes from Abby's school, I decided to go and get some breakfast.  I splurged on an Einstein bagel.  It was pumpkin.  As I bit into it, I felt the heavens open and angels singing "Ahhhhhhhhhhh".  Yes it was THAT good.  Once again I am benefiting from my favorite part of the year, fall.  I know, I know, yesterday was 98 degrees, today won't be any cooler but in the retail world, it's officially fall!  The pumpkin cavalry has come to save the day!  The pumpkin shakes, pumpkin rolls, pumpkin pie, pumpkin chai, pumpkin bread, pumpkin cookies, and pumpkin cheesecake will carry me through the rest of the summer, where soon I will be able to walk outside and feel the crispness of the air on my cheeks and layer my clothing to my hearts content!

Here is one of my favorite pumpkin recipes:

Libby's® Pumpkin Roll with Cream Cheese Filling

By: Libby's® 

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup powdered sugar (to sprinkle on towel)
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2/3 cup LIBBY'S® 100% Pure Pumpkin
• 1 cup walnuts, chopped (optional)
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
• 6 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar (optional)

Directions 

PREHEAT oven to 375 degrees F. Grease 15 x 10-inch jelly-roll pan; line with wax paper. Grease and flour paper. Sprinkle towel with powdered sugar.

1. COMBINE flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves and salt in small bowl. Beat eggs and sugar in large mixer bowl until thick. Beat in pumpkin. Stir in flour mixture. Spread evenly into prepared pan. Sprinkle with nuts.
2. BAKE for 13 to 15 minutes or until top of cake springs back when touched. Immediately loosen and turn cake onto prepared towel. Carefully peel off paper. Roll up cake and towel together, starting with narrow end. Cool on wire rack.
3. BEAT cream cheese, powdered sugar, butter and vanilla extract in small mixer bowl until smooth. Carefully unroll cake; remove towel. Spread cream cheese mixture over cake. Reroll cake. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least one hour. Sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving, if desired.

A Sigh of Relief!

I will tell you, I was worried!  Last year during Abby's IEP meeting, it was determined by the "experts" that she should take kindergarten over.  I didn't like that at all, their reason was even though she was the highest achieving student in the USDB kindergarten program (Utah School for the Deaf and Blind) at Mill Creek Elementary, they thought she was a bit immature and young to move up.  (She missed the cut-off date by two days)  We agreed that she would go to kindergarten in the morning and 1st grade in the afternoon. 

Two weeks before school started, I went into Abby's school to confirm the prior meeting's agenda for her.  I spoke with the new principal who did not attend the meeting in May.  She sounded like it was a go but had to check with Student Services before moving forward.  To make a long story short, Abby was placed in 1st grade.

Here comes the apprehension...  In my conversations with neighbors, other teachers, and family they all expressed concern that she was moving forward and not ready to be main-streamed.  My reasoning was that I wanted her challenged and not feeling bored at school.  She had friends going to kindergarten AND 1st grade so I wasn't worried that way.  I feel like Abby's challenge is expressing herself.  She still is hard to understand at times and worried that meeting new friends would be a struggle.

Last night we went to "Parent Teacher Night".  I had requested Mrs Zakowski because neighbors said she was the best.  She told us that Abby is fitting in beautifully.  She is academically where she needs to be and hasn't had problems finding friends in class.  We also found out that she has a sister who is deaf.  Finding people who know the deaf world and their hardships are rare.  Mrs Z knows first hand all about it!

Mrs Z told a funny story about Abby; Wednesday morning she dressed in a skirt and top.  She accessoried with a fur vest.  The classroom was very warm (no air).  Abby took it off during class.  In the afternoon, the warmest part of the day, Abby was asked to stand and read in front of the class.  The story was cowboy themed.  Before Abby read the page, she asked Mrs. Z if she should put the vest on (because it was western looking?)  Mrs. Z said she was very cute and animated in everything she does. 

Yes, it's going to be a great year!